Canelo Alvarez interrupted host Max Kellerman during Thursday’s final press conference for his fight against Terence Crawford on September 13 when Kellerman effusively praised UFC CEO Dana White.
Kellerman said Boxing had lost popularity to UFC, suggesting that White could save boxing by replicating the UFC model, creating a unified organization like the NBA or NFL. Critics argue that this could lead to a monopoly, like some fans believe the UFC has in MMA.
Canelo Challenges Kellerman’s Narrative
The fans and media weren’t sympathetic to Kellerman during his brief interaction with Canelo, booing him. It was clear from Canelo’s and the fans’ reactions that Kellerman had chosen the wrong venue for discussing his ideas about Dana White being the savior of boxing, using the UFC model as the blueprint for transforming it.
Canelo didn’t like the direction Kellerman was going, glazing White, and cut him off, defending boxing by rejecting what he was saying. This exchange was one of the highlights of the press conference, in addition to one of the reports briefly grilling Dana about the Muhammad Ali act.
Kellerman’s comments: “Dana White is the greatest combat sports promoter in my lifetime. He built an institution. Boxing’s not as popular as it used to be anymore, right? UFC is really popular. That’s because of Dana White.
“He built something like the NBA and he’s about to do it for boxing. Again! For boxing, now! You want an NBA or an NFL in boxing; here it comes, because he knows how to build an institution. Should it [boxing] get bigger? Yes or no?”
Canelo’s comments: “Hey Max, boxing is always bigger, bigger and big. Don’t say boxing is not big enough. Boxing is big. You know how big is boxing? Maybe it’s going to be bigger. But look, boxing is always big and big and bigger and bigger and bigger boxing.”
Kellerman: “I love Canelo in English, by the way.”
Dana White Dismisses Reporter’s Query
During Thursday’s press conference on September 11, boxing reporter Sean Zittel questioned him on TKO’s lobbying efforts to amend the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. It got ugly when Dana said, “Listen, if you want to be an a**hole, let’s do it in private, and we can do an interview.” Moments later, White told the reporter to “Beat it,” dismissing him.
