“Listen, Eddie says a lot of dumb sh*t,” White told Cageside Press among other media at his post-fight scrum.

“I’m getting used to it. Eddie said that me and him are the biggest fight in boxing. There in lies the problem with boxing, and the fact that a fight promoter who’s actually put on big fights and have a stable of good fighters would say something that f*cking stupid is starting to not be as shocking as it was in the beginning.”

White didn’t mince words when addressing Hearn and other criticisms surrounding his latest ventures outside the UFC, particularly with Zuffa Boxing. The promoter pushed back against detractors questioning recent deals and the direction of his involvement in the sport. Framing the criticism as noise, White doubled down on letting results speak for themselves moving forward.

“You’re a f*cking bum, I’m old, and we don’t even deserve to be on a card with a bunch of real fighters, number one. Number two, everybody’s talking sh*t about Conor Benn and the deal that we made,” he said.

“I will say this like I said a few months ago; sit back, watch what we do this year, and then judge us by our body of work at the end of the year. I said that a few months ago and look where we are now and what we’re doing.”

White continued his critique of the boxing industry, expanding his frustration beyond promoters to include what he sees as a growing chorus of self-proclaimed experts online.

Speaking candidly, White took aim at both the structure of the sport and the voices that frequently weigh in on it, arguing that his firsthand experience has only reinforced his long-held beliefs. He’s clearly grown weary of the criticism specially when it comes to the deals Zuffa Boxing has made with up-and-coming star Conor Benn.

“It’s funny because I knew how f*cked up boxing was, but I never really realized how bad it was and how bad these guys that run the sport are at what they did until I got into it,” he said.

“Then all these guys on the internet that are so smart and such f*cking experts in the fight business man. Just because you have $35 and can start a f*cking website, and do a podcast means you’re some type of expert…you guys should be running f*cking Bellator and PFL and ONE FC. Go help these guys out man!”

As far as Benn is concerned, the long-time UFC president made it clear that he’s a fan.

“He’s been incredible. He’s a great kid, hilarious, very positive person. I like him,” said White.

“So far, so good.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Dana White above.

The post Dana White Goes Off On Eddie Hearn, Boxing, Internet Criticism appeared first on Cageside Press.

News of Till inking a deal with the organization was first reported by Uncrowned on Wednesday. Till is expected to compete at 185lbs, and will make his debut in the main event of BKFC’s May 30 date in Birmingham, England.

No opponent has been reported for Till’s BKFC debut as of yet.

Darren Till was a perfect 12-0 in MMA when he joined the UFC in 2015, and went 5-0-1 to land a welterweight title fight against Tyron Woodley three years later. Till was submitted in the bout, and went 1-4 in his next five fights, which saw him return to middleweight after struggling with the cut to 170lbs.

Parting ways with the UFC in 2022, Till has stayed active on social media, but has only competed on a handful of occasions, in the boxing realm. He most recently defeated Luke Rockhold under the Misfits Boxing banner, knocking the ex-UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion out in the third round. In the process, Till claimed the Misfits bridgerweight championship.

Till’s only other action since 2022 came in bouts with Anthony Taylor and fellow UFC vet Darren Stewart, and an exhibition contest with Mohammad Mutie. Till won each bout, with only Stewart going the distance.

The post Darren Till Inks Deal with BKFC appeared first on Cageside Press.

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In the fourth Zuffa Boxing event the promotion put on the first championship fight in their history and they featured their first big signee, the undefeated IBF and Ring cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia. Opposing Opetaia for the landmark bout is Brandon “Bulletproof” Glanton, a 21-3 professional fighting out of Riverside, California.

The bout saw a very game Glanton do well to slow down the taller Opetaia by cutting off the ring and putting pressure on the defending Ring Magazine champion. However, Opetaia’s shot selection and movement allowed the Australian to control the range and exchanges in the middle of the ring. Glanton found his best success when he was close in the clinch where he tried to deliver punishing damage to the body of Opetaia.

In the fourth round, Opetaia began to pull away with punishing right hands that stunned Glanton and responded with powerful shots in kind when the challenger initiated the clinch. The two began to open up more in the fifth and sixth round where Opetaia showed a willingness to exchange with the heavy handed Glanton in what were some of the most exciting moments of the fight. While he gave a strong effort, Glanton also landed a pair of low blows that led to the deduction of two points during the course of the match. In the final round, a big right hand stunned Glanton in the closing minute and it looked like he would record the finish after all but the challenger survived to reach the final bell.

Opetaia was given the decision and added the Zuffa Boxing championship belt to his resume. The bout did have some controversy prior to the event as the IBF did not sanction the fight and stripped Opetaia of the title. Following the fight, Opetaia did say he had interest in the winner of Gilbert “Zurdo” Ramirez vs David Benavidez which is coming up on May 02.

In other action, the card saw two finishes as Ricardo Salas stopped Jesus Saracho in round eight while Vlad Panin stopped Shinard Bunch in round nine.

The most exciting bout was the battle of undefeated featherweights Pablo Rubio and Adan Palma. Rubio rallied back from two early knockdowns to win a slugfest with Palma and take home the decision in what was his first victory in ten months.

The full results are below and will be updated throughout the day.

Main Card

Cruiserweight Championship: Jai Opetaia def. Brandon Glanton via unanimous decision (119-106, 119-106, 119-106)

Welterweight Bout: Ricardo Salas def. Jesus Saracho via TKO (referee stoppage) – Round 8, 2:05

Featherweight Bout: Pablo Rubio def. Adan Palma via unanimous decision (77-73, 77-73, 76-74)

Preliminary Card

Welterweight Bout: Vlad Panin def. Shinard Bunch via TKO (referee stoppage) – Round 9, 2:29

Heavyweight Bout: Joshua Juarez def. Jardae Anderson via unanimous decision (79-73, 78-74, 77-75)

Featherweight Bout: Jaycob Ramos vs Ethan Perez scored a majority draw (57-55 Ramos, 56-56, 56-56)

Lightweight Bout: Brady Ochoa vs Adrian Serrano scored a majority draw (58-56 Ochoa, 57-57, 57-57)

Featherweight Bout: Emiliano Alvarado def. Erick Rosado via unanimous decision (59-54, 59-54, 59-54)

The post Zuffa Boxing 04: Opetaia vs Glanton Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

In a sport that has admittedly grown stale, allowing Zuffa Boxing and its partners to swoop in and snatch up English star Conor Benn, creativity appeared to be at a standstill. However, on Friday, one of Zuffa’s partners, Turki Alalshikh, was among those behind one of the biggest boxing crossovers in years:

Former GLORY heavyweight kickboxing champ Rico Verhoeven will face Oleksandr Usyk for his WBC heavyweight championship in Giza, Egypt.

The card takes place on May 23, 2026, and is arguably the biggest crossover fight since Conor McGregor faced Floyd Mayweather in 2017. The nearest comparison since might be Francis Ngannou facing Tyson Fury, though that appeared to find Fury sleeping on the ex-UFC heavyweight champ.

The card is set to air on DAZN and is being billed as “Glory in Giza.”

Legends collide where legends were built 🥊🦂

On May 23, under the shadows of the ancient giants, Oleksandr Usyk takes on Rico Verhoeven at the iconic Pyramids of Giza 🔥

Glory in Giza | May 23 | LIVE on DAZN

Brought to you by @ringmagazine pic.twitter.com/Oh7vDDvLZY

— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) February 27, 2026

Verhoeven is 1-0 as a professional boxer, a fight that took place back in 2014. He’s also 1-0 as a mixed martial artist and had been in talks with the UFC to appear on the first Paramount+ card, until the promotion balked at the price tag attached to the kickboxing star.

The Dutch striker defended his GLORY heavyweight title 13 times, and won the promotion’s heavyweight tournament in 2014. He left the promotion in November, vacating his title in the process.

Usyk is a perfect 24-0 inside the ring, with two wins over each of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, among others.

The post Former GLORY Champ Verhoeven to Challenge Usyk for WBC Heavyweight Title in Egypt appeared first on Cageside Press.

UFC stars including Sean O’Malley have taken note of the money Benn is reportedly being paid, after being scooped up from under the nose of Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. The deal is reportedly set to pay the English welterweight $15 million U.S. for a single bout, the sort of money that is unheard of for any UFC fighter not named Conor McGregor.

On a TKO Group (parent company of UFC and Zuffa Boxing) earnings call this week, Mark Shapiro, President and COO of TKO, revealed that it’s not Zuffa paying Benn that kind of money. Rather, it’s one of Zuffa’s partners, backed by Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Authority of Sport in Saudi Arabia.

“As you know, our partner in Zuffa Boxing is Sela, they’re the financial backer entity. Beyond the year long series of fight cards that will appear exclusively on Paramount+, we’ve described again and again on these calls and conferences that we also plan to stage approximately two to four super fights per year,” said Shapiro (h/t MMA Junkie), giving Canelo-Crawford as an example. “Some of which TKO will promote and or sell the media rights, or of course incremental fees.”

“Us with TKO and Sela collectively identified Conor Benn, as someone we wanted to have for one of those super fights in 2026. That’s it. One fight in 2026. Conor was a free agent. Dana White and Nick Khan, in that order, went out and signed Conor. Now, let me be clear: we signed him for just one fight. That’s all we’re talking about here. Now, of course, we hope that eventually he’ll fight in our Zuffa Boxing series exclusively on Paramount+, but for now, this is just one fight. No different than what we did with Canelo [Alvarez] and [Terence] Crawford. No different than other super fights we’re planning with Sela.”

“I would add to the reported purse, which was around $15 million, that the reported purse – I’m not confirming or denying – that Conor will be paid for this super fight in 2026, is not TKO going out of pocket. Sela, led by our great partner Turki Alalshikh, is covering the purse. Once again, no different than exactly what we did with the Canelo-Crawford fight.”

The UFC has long been under fire over it’s pay scheme, with entry level fighters still making just $10,000 to show, and another $10,000 should they win — the same minimum wage fighters earned a decade ago. And while top tier fighters do make more, $15 million guaranteed is essentially unheard of. Regardless of who is footing the bill, the stars of the sport will probably continue to have a bone of contention when they see Benn’s purse.

The post Conor Benn’s Purse Not Being Paid by Zuffa, Says TKO Exec appeared first on Cageside Press.

Rothwell, never more than a contender in the UFC, had still been a popular fighter, and appeared to have found a new lease on his fighting life in bareknuckle, going 4-0 for BKFC.

Arlovski, 47, was 1-0 in bareknuckle (and 1-0 as a boxer) as he entered a title fight over 20 years after winning the UFC crown. Ageless wonder indeed. Though at 44, Rothwell was no spring chicken himself.

The pair had met twice previously, with Arlovski defeating “Big Ben” twice in MMA.

Not a lot of feeling out, as the two big men got right down to work in the Knuckle Mania VI main event. Arlovski had Ben in trouble early, landing a hook and backing him up to the ropes. A couple of clinches followed, then Rothwell swung wild and missed. Arlovski punched his way in, finding more success. Rothwell, however, connected to the side of the head with a right hand. Another right hand would see Rothwell stagger back prior to the bell to end round one.

The second started scrappy, with both men firing frequently. Rothwell landed a counter, but Arlovski repeatedly found a home for his right hand. “The Pitbull” had his jab going as well, and looked to be the faster man. Rothwell was cut open, blood running down his forehead and around his eye.

The back half of round two was all Arlovski, with Rothwell frequently under fire. And starting round three, the ringside physician was brought in to check the damage on Rothwell, particularly around his eye, though he was allowed to continue.

Arlovski had plenty of pep in his step in the third, driving forward repeatedly, working his right hand with his jab. Big Ben was bleeding again, face a crimson mask. That brought the doctor in again, and this time, he called it. Tons of damage on Rothwell, while Arlovski appeared to barely have a scratch. Solid movement for a 47-year old who clearly came prepared.

The ageless Andrei Arlovski does it again, earning the BKFC heavyweight title at the promotion’s flagship event.

Official Result: Andrei Arlovski def. Ben Rothwell by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 3, 1:14

The post BKFC KnuckleMania 6: Andrei Arlovski Bloodies Ben Rothwell, Wins Heavyweight Title appeared first on Cageside Press.

While Joshua survived the crash, he will no doubt not be happy to read the headlines about Mitchell’s comments. Nor will Jake Paul, as apparently, Mitchell believes Paul orchestrated the crash.

“If you don’t let Jake Paul win, he’s gonna kill you nine days later,” Mitchell said in a video posted to Instagram, adding “or just kill your two best friends. But somebody’s gonna die if you don’t let him win.”

It’s worth noting that none of Paul’s other opponents have come to any form of harm, unless you want to count Ben Askren, who years later required a double lung transplant after suffering severe medical issues. Nor did Mitchell provide any evidence to back his claims.

Alongside the video, Mitchell added a comment stating “jake and logan both made fun of me. (because im (sic) “racist and evil”) funny how they say they love Jesus but post gay sh*t all day. their fites (sic) r fixed, wake up.”

Mitchell has become known for anti-LGBTQ views and for comments suggesting that Hitler was actually a “good guy” who you’d want to go fishing wish. That led UFC CEO and President Dana White to label Bryce “one of the dumbest human beings ever.”

Somehow, Mitchell continues to exceed expectations in all the wrong ways.

Prior to his fight with Anthony Joshua, which he lost via stoppage (leaving him with a jaw reportedly broken in two places), Paul had threatened to sue anyone making “fixed fight” claims.

The post Bryce Mitchell Alleges Fight Fixing, Claims Jake Paul Orchestrated Joshua Car Crash appeared first on Cageside Press.

Tinubu confirmed he spoke directly with Joshua following the crash, offering condolences to the boxer and his family while noting that Joshua is conscious and receiving the best possible medical care after the tragic incident.

Joshua, 36, was just 10 days removed from a knockout victory over Jake Paul in Miami when the accident occurred. The former heavyweight champion was on holiday in Nigeria at the time of the crash.

Paul offered his condolences in posts shared on social media.

“RIP Sina Ghami and Kevin “Latif / Latz” Ayodele. My thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends and AJ,” Paul wrote in one post.

“Life is much more important than boxing. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ, and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident.”

Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn and Matchroom boxing, posted a statement on social media as well.

“With profound sadness it has been confirmed that two close friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, have tragically passed away,” the statement read.

“Matchroom Boxing and 258 BXG can confirm that Anthony sustained injuries in the accident and was taken to hospital for checks and treatment. He is in a stable condition and will remain under observation. Our deepest condolences and prayers are with the families and friends of all those affected. We respectfully ask that their privacy is honored during this incredibly difficult time.”

Joshua has yet to release a statement as of this post.

The post Anthony Joshua Stable After Crash That Killed Two Longtime Friends appeared first on Cageside Press.

In fact it very much was. Whittaker, affectionately known as “Bobby Knuckles” and actually nicknamed “The Reaper,” suggested a jump to the “Sweet Science” on his MMArcade Podcast recently. The comments came in response to the Silva vs. Woodley fight, with Whittaker’s co-host noting that Woodley had a “rough go” in the match, which took place at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida on the Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua undercard.

“Knocked him out in the second. That’s wild,” stated Whittaker, apparently in awe of Silva’s latest feat, and suggesting he could join Silva and Woodley in the boxing realm.

“I might be on the next card with him! It depends how much he’s getting paid. That was a big card, Netflix card. I’m sure the paycheck was considerable,” exclaimed Whittaker. “I think everyone likes to throw hands for a decent paycheck.”

“Yeah, it interests me for sure, certainly,” Whittaker stated later, asked if he would move to boxing after his UFC career wraps. “Yeah. It definitely interests me, especially like, not actually having to go through the boxing circuit the way a lot of guys did. If I can move straight up to these like, what are you going to call them? What sort of fights are these UFC guys that are coming into boxing doing? Those sort of fights. You know what I’m talking about.”

“I think there’s some money to be made there. I think it keep me fit. I think it’s definitely an aspect of the sport that I enjoy. I’ve always loved striking. So to move into that field would be cool. It would be a nice, fresh change.”

Whittaker is coming off back-to-back losses against Khamzat Chimaev (who went on to win the UFC’s 185lb title) and Reinier de Ridder. The de Ridder fight was Whittaker’s lone contest of 2025. He does not currently have a fight scheduled.

Numerous mixed martial artists have made the transition to boxing in recent years, to varying degrees of success. Those include Nate Diaz, Ben Askren, Vitor Belfort, Jose Aldo, Cris Cyborg, Silva, Woodley, and of course Conor McGregor.

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