In a clash of titans within the realm of combat sports, Stephen Espinoza, the head honcho of Showtime Boxing, has fired back at none other than UFC’s chief, Dana White, in a war of words that’s making headlines across the sporting world.
White’s recent tirade against Espinoza was met with both wit and wisdom as the Showtime boss pulled no punches in his response. Speaking exclusively after a press conference for the upcoming Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo pay-per-view extravaganza, Espinoza expressed his “shock” at White’s behavior. He alluded to White’s typically articulate and intelligent demeanor and marveled at the sudden outburst. “It is so strange of him to lash out in anger. Who would have guessed that he would lash out in anger at somebody? We have never seen that before, right?” Espinoza quipped.
The feud between the two industry heavyweights escalated when White was asked about a report predicting the impending demise of Showtime Boxing, with rumors circulating that the cable channel’s boxing operations would cease by year-end. White didn’t mince words, cursing Espinoza and lambasting Showtime’s product. He declared, “It is about time that s***** product is off the air.”
Espinoza, however, brushed off these ominous predictions and attributed White’s outburst to their contentious history. The sparks initially flew when the two clashed publicly over pay-per-view figures stemming from the mega-fight they co-promoted, featuring Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather. White has since made it a habit to target Espinoza with his verbal onslaught.
The Showtime executive shed light on the root cause of the feud, saying, “I think some of it is I didn’t go along with the misrepresentations that he wanted to say on the events that we did together.” He referred to White’s claim that “The Money Fight” was the all-time leader in pay-per-view buys, countering with the assertion that it was the No. 2 draw domestically, trailing Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao. “I think it is kind of obvious. I don’t have to articulate. I think people can put two and two together and see why he tends to single me out among most other people for that kind of idiotic abuse,” Espinoza added.
In a parting shot, Espinoza suggested that White should enhance his vocabulary and speaking skills if he intends to lead a publicly traded company effectively. The verbal jabs continued at the press conference when Espinoza touted a projected $20 million gate for the Canelo vs. Charlo bout, to which White responded by labeling the Showtime executive a “scumbag.”
As this war of words escalates, it raises questions about the future of relations between these two industry heavyweights and the impact it may have on the combat sports landscape.
