Just got this in from Josh Hedges of Zuffa. A nice little taunt from the boxing establishment in the UK, and a pretty interesting proposition from UFC president Dana White…. read on:
“Dana White responds to Frank Warren
In the June 2002 issue of Front Magazine, British boxing promoter Frank Warren had some disparaging things to say about Mixed Martial Arts.
“I bet certain members of the public would buy a ticket for a public hanging. Extreme fighters wouldn’t last five minutes with a proper, schooled boxer. Boxing is an art, a way of life. That ultimate fighting stuff is for guys who chuck steroids down there neck, pump weights in the gym and get out of breath after a couple of minutes. I hope it doesn’t catch on,” says Warren.
UFC President Dana White issued this response to Front Magazine regarding Warren’s statement:
“As a respected British boxing promoter, Frank Warren is certainly entitled to his opinion. But, he is dead wrong. The fighters who fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship are the best in the world. UFC fighters are world-class athletes who train much harder every day than boxers would even think of training. We will be in London July 13th at the Royal Albert Hall. Tell Warren to get his fighters ready, guys like Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton, Harry Simon, and Anthony Farnell, or anyone else he thinks can handle us, and I’ll have mine ready in the same weight division. We will put together a fight between any two, and I’ll bet him $50,000 (34,483 pounds sterling) even money on the outcome.”
Will Warren put his money where his mouth is?”