The eve of the most important boxing match in a decade, the Sin-City super fight between pound-for-pound ranked fighters Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez in September 2025, also coincided with Dana White’s inaugural event in a promoter position in the sport.
The UFC/Zuffa Boxing head was on hand and fielding questions from the assembled media during fight week and was posed a question which essentially superseded even the importance of Crawford stepping up multiple weight divisions in putting his undefeated record on the line and Canelo seeking to further cement his legacy as a Hall of Fame fist thrower on Mexican Independence Day weekend.
The inquiry came from longtime squared circle journalist and Las Vegas native Sean Zittel. The now viral moment reverberated from inside the Allegiant Stadium in Vegas and throughout the entire sport of boxing, with implications which outweigh even Crawford’s improbable and stunning near domination of the red head from Mexico who has been the face of boxing for a decade.
“Dana this fight, as you said earlier in the week, is said to be the third highest gate in combat spots history. The second biggest gate you’ve promoted alongside Mayweather-McGregor. The top five gates in combat sports history come in boxing and they come in the last ten years.
So my question to you is, why then do you want to make sweeping changes to the Muhammad Ali Reform Act that is meant to protect fighters, to bring about a business model that currently has your company paying, already paid out $375 million dollars in anti-trust lawsuits, and has two potential pending class action lawsuits on the way as well.”
WHITE’S RESPONSE
“Well this is obviously a long discussion. If you want to talk to me about that, set up an interview. This isn’t about me and my business, it’s about these two guys on Saturday night…”
ZITTEL FOLLOW UP Q
“Dana, my follow up is, earlier in the week the California State Athletic Commission had a hearing about TKO trying to make changes to the Ali Act, and it was postponed three months… Dana then cuts off Zittel: “Listen, I get it, you want to showboat right now. Set up an interview with me if this is really want to talk about.”
Zittel chimed in, as White had not given a straight answer to the question. “It’s America baby 1st amendment,” said Zittel, who frequents Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Shawn Porter’s ‘The Porter Way’ podcast.
“If TKO can’t make changes to the Ali Act, will you still invest in the sport of boxing? Will you compete in the market?”
“If you have questions for these two, you can set up an interview with me,” said White.
WHITE’S NON-RESPONSE
“Listen, if you want to be an asshole, lets do it in private and we can do an interview.” Zittel then asked again, “Yes or No?”
“You want to showboat, I get it. If you have questions for these two that are fighting on Saturday, that’s a different story.
CANELO ENCOURAGEMENT
“This isn’t a discussion to have at a press conference for these two that are going to fight on Saturday, two legends. If you want to set up an interview and ask me these questions, we can do it one on one, and you can ask me anything you want.” Zittel then signed off, having no answer to his question. “Well, Terence and Saul, have a good fight. White then turned questioner: “You have a question for these two?” Zittel replied with a simple no. “No? Beat it, who’s next,” said White.
Canelo Alvarez then grabbed a Netflix logo bearing microphone and recommended White and Zittel do what he was going to do with Crawford 48 hours later: “Fight fight fight,” said Canelo during the heated discussion between promoter and journalist.
“We have a ring in the gym buddy,” Canelo told Zittel, seemingly letting Zittel know that there is a canvas with ropes in Las Vegas where writer and promoter could further their discussion. Overall it was quite a remarkable exchange between journalist and promoter that enthused even a pound for pound great into the conversation.
The seriousness of the Zittel-White verbal spar session however, cannot be overstated.
CALIFORNIA STATE ATHLETIC COMMISSION, ANDY FOSTER
Zittel also referenced the recent California State Athletic Commission meeting wherein CSAC head Andy Foster sought to allow White and TKO Boxing to amend the Ali Act.
The meeting was attended virtually by fighters, fight managers, journalists and fans, who openly spoke against the act being amended.
“Why are we even letting a brand-new player in and dictating the rules to us in the sport they have not built? They haven’t earned the right… That law’s the only reason managers like me can sit across from promoters and no were not being completely railroaded. It forces transparency, prevents conflicts of interest, it is the legal shield that prevents fighters from being owned outright. The UBO is junk, the Muhammad Ali Act is sacred. One robs fighters of leverage, the other protects their rights and their pay. You can’t claim you care about boxing which pushing a belt and ripping down the one law that actually protects the people stepping into that ring,” said Rachel Donaire, current boxing manger and wife of former champion Nonito Donaire.
It was noted by one commissioner that it was “the most feedback we’ve received in a commission meeting since I’ve been involved,” and ended unceremoniously without amendments being made, and CSAC’s Foster requesting the last few participants not be heard, seeking to end the meeting. Foster had earlier indicated he had received positive feedback on the amendments, noting that Tom Borwn of TGB Promotions believed changes would “allow the sport to flourish” while encouraging “competition and accountability.”
A ruling has since been made for a sub-committee review for recommendation, with another CSAC meeting set for December 2025.
CSAC AND FOSTER DODGE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT, TRIAL DATE
Earlier in 2025, the California court system affirmed a rejection of a filing of a lawsuit against the California State Athletic Commission, citing a 2-1 decision was made by the Court of Appeals following a racial discrimination lawsuit that was filed by referees Wayne Hedgepeth, Raul Caiz Sr. and Raul Caiz Jr.
The referees alleged that the CSAC board selected Caucasian referees for championship contests on numerous occasions, specifically citing the World Boxing Association super middleweight title match between Andre Ward and Edwin Rodriguez in November 2013. The WBA had requested Caiz Sr. for the bout; CSAC and Foster instead assigned a Caucasian referee to the bout, Jack Reiss.
The lawsuit had originally been filed in 2018 which produced multiple motions filings over the years, with a trial date scheduled for August 15, 2022.
On August 4, 2022, the California Supreme Court decided on Brennon B. v. Superior Court, wherein a public-school district was found not subject to the provisions of the act because it was not acting as a “business establishment”.
Following that decision, the CSAC cited the separate case and filed a motion for summary judgement, which was granted, stalling the trial date which ultimately lead to a rejection of the filing and the most recent affirmation of rejection of the lawsuit.
Justice’s Carl H. Moor and Brian M. Hoffstad had originallyaffirmed the judgement. Justice Lamar Baker dissented with his vote and commented on his reasoning.
“Many aspects of professional boxing matches in this state are controlled by a single man: Andrew Foster. The plaintiffs in this case, Hall of Fame Latino and Black boxing referees and judges available to work professional bouts, allege Foster discriminates on the basis of race when wielding his nearly unfettered discretion to choose referees and judges. The majority, however, is uninterested.
“By refusing to give this state’s civil rights act a broad interpretation, the opinion for the court affirms the trial court’s conclusion that plaintiffs should have no opportunity to prove at trial that they have been sidelined in the boxing business because of their race. And by refusing to permit plaintiffs to amend their complaint to bring a cause of action that even the Attorney General concedes is the appropriate means to test their claim that boxing in California has been rigged against minority referees and judges, the majority declares that finding the truth must take a backseat to the workloads of the state’s lawyers that would otherwise have to defend Foster’s referee-assigning practices.
“There is an expression that I imagine is common in the boxing world: put up or shut up. Foster and the Commission prevented plaintiffs from doing the former by filing a summary judgment motion that got plaintiffs lawsuit thrown out on (erroneous) legal grounds rather than on the factual merits… If referee and judge-assigning practices in this state continue as they have in the past, we can expect another lawsuit like this in the future… Indeed, that is the real irony of today’s decision. The majority says plaintiffs should not be permitted to amend their complaint merely because that would draw out the proceedings… but the upshot of today’s opinion may well be to prolong this dispute fay beyond when it would have been resolved had the majority allowed.”
