The one point most likely overlooked—but potentially critical to the success of the Canelo vs. Crawford event and the fighters themselves—is Dana White’s role as a promoter and the fusion of UFC-style marketing into the boxing world.
Why it’s overlooked:
Most of the conversation centers around the fighters’ age, skill, weight class, legacy, and timing. While all of that matters, it’s assumed that a big fight sells itself. But that’s not true in modern combat sports. The machine behind the event can amplify or diminish everything.
Why it’s a determining factor:
Dana White brings a UFC-style promotional engine to boxing that could drastically increase mainstream interest:
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Narrative building: Dana knows how to create hype through rivalries, storylines, and drama—something boxing often lacks or under-delivers.
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Media control and optics: UFC promotes fighters like superheroes. That energy could reshape how casual fans perceive this fight.
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Cross-pollination: Tapping into the massive UFC audience (especially younger fans) could elevate this beyond a typical boxing demographic.
The success of the event—and perhaps how each fighter is remembered after—could depend less on how great they are in the ring and more on how effectively that greatness is sold to the public.