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The recent boxing match between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou has cast doubt on the trend of mixed martial artists transitioning to professional boxing. Joshua's decisive victory over Ngannou in the second round has raised questions about the ability of MMA fighters to excel in the boxing ring, particularly after Ngannou's impressive knockdown of Tyson Fury in their previous bout.
This outcome serves as a stark contrast to the narrative that power punchers from MMA can seamlessly transition to boxing and achieve success. Dana White, the president of the UFC, has been a vocal critic of such crossovers, citing examples like Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s dominant victory over Conor McGregor in 2017.
White reiterated his stance on crossover fights, stating,
"You know how I feel about crossovers into boxing. That’s how they end. Just like that."
Despite Ngannou's strong showing against Fury, White believes that the skill gap between elite boxers and MMA fighters is too significant to ignore.
While there has been speculation about other MMA fighters entering the boxing ring, such as Conor McGregor's proposed bout against Manny Pacquiao and UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley's potential fight against boxing's Ryan Garcia, White suggests that these plans should be put on hold.
The focus, according to White, should be on promoting compelling matchups within each sport's respective talent pool. With a wealth of talent in boxing's heavyweight division and the ability to create exciting fights without resorting to one-sided contests, White believes that there is no need to prioritize crossover fights that may not deliver competitive matchups.