It appears UFC President Dana White is not concerned about the upcoming Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. boxing match scheduled for the same night as UFC 317. The event also features former UFC champion Holly Holm making her return to boxing.
UFC 317 is set to conclude International Fight Week in Las Vegas with a pay-per-view headlined by Ilia Topuria challenging Charles Oliveira for the lightweight championship. Simultaneously, Jake Paul is slated to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Anaheim, California. Adding intrigue, Holm, recently released from her UFC contract after signing with Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, is expected to compete on the same boxing card, ending a more than 12-year hiatus from the sport.
While the UFC has faced competing events from other combat sports disciplines in the past, White revealed his complete lack of awareness regarding Paul`s scheduled fight when questioned about the conflict.
Expressing his indifference, White stated, “Oh really? I didn’t even know that… I didn’t even know he was fighting so that’s how concerned I am about it.”
White also seemed unaware that Holm had booked her first fight since parting ways with the UFC.
The former bantamweight queen was granted her release from the organization despite having fights remaining on her contract, fulfilling her request to become a free agent.
Holm had previously signed with the Global Fight League (GFL) and was expected to fight on their initial events. However, the promotion`s debut cards were canceled, suggesting the GFL dissolved before ever holding an event.
Now, Holm is poised for a comeback in boxing, a sport where she holds Hall of Fame status with an impressive 33-2-3 professional record and multiple world titles across various divisions.
When informed of Holm`s return to the boxing ring, White reacted with surprise, remarking, “Oh no shit?”
Despite his apparent lack of detailed knowledge about the event or Holm`s participation alongside Paul, White did express that he found it “interesting” that the prominent YouTuber turned boxer was stepping into the ring against a seemingly “legitimate” opponent in Chavez Jr.
However, it is worth noting that Chavez Jr. is 39 years old and holds a 2-1 record in his last three outings dating back to 2021. Two of those recent opponents were notably mixed martial artists: a victory over Uriah Hall via a widely criticized decision and a loss to Anderson Silva.
