WHEN Dana White, the UFC President, and Floyd Mayweather, boxing’s unofficial president, first announced they would be working together, few details beyond images of handshakes and beaming smiles were made public.
All we knew, based on their initial social media posts, was that White and Mayweather would be linking up in 2020 and that White’s Zuffa Boxing project, talked about for years now, would presumably have something to do with it.
The real intrigue, though, surrounds Mayweather and his role in the link-up. After all, if Mayweather is solely a man in a suit these days, that is, a promotional ally for White ahead of his foray into the boxing world, the interest will be understandably muted. If, however, Mayweather decides to step out of his suit and, at 42, lace up a pair of boxing gloves for the 51st time as a professional, suddenly the alliance takes on a different, more fascinating shape.
“We both started talking,” White told ESPN. “The easiest way to explain it to you is Floyd and I both feel that we add value to each other, and we’re going to figure something out.
“Some things have to play out, and then I’m going to start talking to (Mayweather’s promoter Al) Haymon maybe this summer and then I’ll have something for Floyd in the fall.”
When asked what Mayweather’s plans are, White confirmed: “Compete. The money is in Floyd competing.”
