Inside Shakur Stevenson's shocking Zuffa exit — and why it exposes the limits of Dana White's control in boxing
Three months, millions of dollars in negotiations and zero fights — inside the failed partnership that exposed a fundamental flaw in Dana White's boxing ambitions.
Dana White, of Zuffa Boxing, recently experienced firsthand the challenges of control when attempting to sign Shakur Stevenson, the WBO super lightweight world champion. Stevenson, who signed with Zuffa earlier this year, shocked the promotion by announcing his release from the partnership after just three months. This exit reveals the limitations of White's control in the boxing world as it is difficult to have dominion over a star fighter's fights.
Despite securing Stevenson's signature, all of his most desirable opponents, including Jose Rayo Valenzuela and Devin Haney, were outside of Zuffa's stable, giving Stevenson the power to dictate his path. Stevenson's high earning demands and willingness to negotiate with rival promoters prove that even with a major promotion backing him, a star athlete like Stevenson can still exercise significant control over his career, making Zuffa's efforts to market him a complex task.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
