Dana White, leading TKO Boxing, is preparing for a significant week with the official announcement of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford boxing match. This high-profile event is scheduled for September 12th at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, marking the launch of TKO Boxing.
Historically, the UFC president has voiced strong opposition to holding fight events in large stadiums. Even though a fight of this magnitude arguably necessitates a large venue, White has maintained his stance in the past, notably resisting calls for similar events in stadiums from UFC stars.
His position was recently highlighted after he attended WrestleMania 41, also held at Allegiant Stadium. In a subsequent press conference following a UFC event in Kansas City, White was asked if the WrestleMania experience had changed his mind about stadium shows.
“Nothing will change my mind about a stadium show,” White stated firmly. He acknowledged the energy of the crowd but reiterated his preference for arena settings, saying, “I really like this town and the energy in that place was awesome all night. That’s the energy you get in an [arena].”
White Still `Hates` Stadium Shows But Will Ensure an `Incredible Experience`
In a recent interview with Carlos Contreras Legaspi for ESPN Deportes, Dana White further elaborated on the plans for the Canelo-Crawford fight now that his direct involvement is confirmed through TKO Boxing. While he has long intended to enter the boxing promotion world, his first major foray involves one of the sport`s biggest potential matchups in recent memory.
“It’s an absolute honor and Canelo and Crawford have both been great about this too,” White commented. “I look forward to working with these guys from now until September, it’s going to be fun.”
When pressed about the specific decision to host the fight at Allegiant Stadium, the massive home of the Las Vegas Raiders with over 65,000 seats, White doubled down on his preference for smaller venues.
“Yeah, I hate it. I hate it,” he repeated. However, he quickly added that this personal dislike motivates him to work harder to overcome the challenges of a stadium setting and enhance the fan experience. “So, because I hate it so much, you know I’m gonna have to try to figure out how to make it an incredible experience inside Allegiant [Stadium].”
Dana White Outlines TKO`s Full Promotional Role
Following what is anticipated to be one of the biggest boxing events of 2025 on September 12th, Dana White`s schedule remains packed. The very next day will see the third installment of Noche UFC, scheduled to take place at the new Arena Guadalajara.
Despite this busy calendar, White confirmed to ESPN Deportes that TKO`s role in the Canelo-Crawford fight is far from minor assistance. He stated that his team is as deeply involved in promoting this boxing match as they are with any major UFC pay-per-view like UFC 320, which coincidentally falls on September 13th.
“This is one of the biggest fights ever and obviously I’m honored to be promoting,” White said. “But yes, when they say we’re promoting it, I’m doing the promotion, we’re doing the production, the event ops, PR, everything to do with the fight, just like a UFC fight.”