WBN Editorial | Dana White’s latest moves to reshape the boxing landscape could signal the end of undisputed champions as we know them.
With the launch of his new Zuffa Boxing entity, the UFC chief confirmed plans to introduce a ‘Zuffa Belt’ and dismiss recognition of every existing sanctioning body title. That means the World Boxing Council, World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation, and World Boxing Organization would immediately become irrelevant within White’s league.
White made clear that only the Ring Magazine championship would carry through under his model. While The Ring has always held prestige, it has never held recognition as part of the true undisputed status. Without the sanctioning body straps and facing a Zuffa-recognized world champion, no fighter can ever legitimately call himself undisputed again.
Dana White Changes Tone on Ali Act
White initially drew fierce backlash for his rumored intention to gut the Muhammad Ali Act. After pushback from figures including the California State Athletic Commission, he’s now insisting the Act will remain intact—but expanded.
“Let’s be clear, there will be zero changes to the Muhammad Ali Act,” White told CBS Sports. “Not one word will be changed in the Muhammad Ali Act. We’re going to add to it. So, the guys who, you know, guys being fighters that want to fight under the Muhammad Ali act exactly the way it is, will have the opportunity to do that. Or you can bet on me, and fight with me under our version of the Muhammad Ali Act. So that thing’s been blown a lot out of proportion, and I get it, and I knew people were going to freak out, because that’s what people do.”
Critics argue that White’s “alternative” is a backdoor attempt to escape the Ali Act’s core protections, which mandate independent rankings, prohibit coercive promoter-manager relationships, and require transparent financial disclosures. By offering an alternative system, he seeks to establish the promotional control model prevalent in the UFC, which is strictly prohibited in boxing.
White went further, blasting the current structure of boxing:
“Listen, the Muhammad Ali Act was put in place with all good intentions, but I think that it’s held the business back. And like I said earlier, you know, these guys, like, all these guys that have been in boxing and have been involved in boxing for a long time; the promoters, they don’t think big enough. I think much bigger than any of them do, no matter how bad they all want to compete with me.”
Zuffa Belt vs. the Sanctioning Bodies
On Inside Ring, White laid out his blueprint in blunt terms.
“There will be a Zuffa belt, and there will be a Ring belt. And, yes, I will not recognize any of the other sanctioning bodies,” White stated. “Yeah, based on the UFC model. I hear a lot of people talking about, ‘It’ll never work.’ Well, we’ll find out in the next couple of years.”
That statement is a lethal injection to the concept of undisputed. Unlike mixed martial arts, where the UFC, PFL, ONE Championship, Bellator, and Cage Warriors all run parallel with separate champions, boxing has long maintained a unifying structure. The sanctioning bodies come together to crown a single man as the undisputed champion across all divisions.
If Zuffa becomes a force, that era could be over. The WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO have remained notably quiet in response to White’s direct threat. For these organizations, Zuffa Boxing represents an existential threat, as White aims to dismantle the lucrative sanctioning fee model that has sustained them for decades.
Crawford’s Legacy Under Threat
Terence Crawford’s historic feat of becoming a three-weight undisputed champion may go down as one of the last of its kind. Should White’s model take hold, no fighter will ever again hold the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO titles simultaneously while also being able to compete for the Zuffa crown.
Every future four-belt champion will carry an asterisk, as they didn’t beat the Zuffa ruler. The undisputed era will be consigned to history.
Alalshikh’s Fingerprints
The move also aligns with the broader vision of Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh, who has been pushing The Ring title into a new spotlight. White’s refusal to recognize sanctioning bodies effectively hands Alalshikh’s ambitions more momentum, with The Ring belt positioned as a central piece of Zuffa’s puzzle.
The question is whether White can sign enough elite fighters to make the project credible. If he can secure even a handful of The Ring top ten, his plan to sideline the sanctioning bodies and align directly with Alalshikh will become a reality.
Those “ambassadors” Alalshikh has been collecting for Riyadh Season may end up being the first recruits into White’s breakaway league.
Will Fighters Buy In? The Pay Disparity Problem
That’s the gamble. Will boxers accept fighting for less money and a belt with no deep-rooted history? Or will they hold firm to the sanctioning body titles that have defined greatness for over half a century?
This scenario presents the Zuffa model’s biggest challenge. While top boxers routinely command purses that represent 40-50% or more of event revenue, the UFC’s widely reported fighter revenue share is closer to 15-20%. The question isn’t just about a belt; it’s about whether boxers will trade their high-risk, high-reward pay structure for the UFC’s centralized, but lower-percentage, paycheck.
If White fails to convince fighters, the Zuffa belt could fade into obscurity within the two-year window he references. But if he succeeds, he will have obliterated the possibility of any future undisputed champion in professional boxing.
For fans and historians, the undisputed crown has always been the sport’s purest and most prestigious prize. Dana White’s model threatens to bury it forever.
The views expressed in this article are the opinions of WBN Editor Phil Jay.
About the Author
Phil Jay is a veteran boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News since 2010, Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and reported ringside on boxing’s biggest nights. [View all articles by Phil Jay] and learn more about his work in combat sports journalism.