As the UFC continues to explore the launch of a boxing promotion in 2018, Dana White is apparently interested in landing one of the fastest rising stars in the sport.
According to a report from the Telegraph in the United Kingdom, White is interested in inking heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua to a multi-fight, multi-million dollar contract to bring him under the UFC umbrella.
The Telegraph notes that UFC could offer Joshua a staggering $50 million per fight to steal the British heavyweight away from his current team of Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing.
Dana White is expected to be in attendance for Joshua’s next fight against Joseph Parker on March 31 where he plans to meet with the boxer and his management team.
White has raved about Joshua in the past saying the 28-year old British boxer has “changed the face boxing” while calling him the “most marketable guy” in the entire sport.
Obviously if White is planning on making a splash with a boxing promotion, there may be no better way that by signing a fighter as talented as Joshua and then begin building him on an international stage.
Joshua already took part in one of the most memorable heavyweight fights in recent memory when he knocked out Wladimir Klitschko in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in England last year.
A gold medalist in the Olympics back 2012, Joshua has gone 20-0 to start his professional career while ending every single fight by knockout.
By all accounts, White’s interest in Joshua would solely be for boxing, although the British fighter has talked about the possibility of crossing over to mixed martial arts just recently. Add to that, UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic has called for a boxing match against Joshua numerous times over the past year.
Whether any of that ever happens remains to be seen but at least for now let the speculation being on the possibility of Joshua being the first major addition to the UFC’s planned launch of a boxing promotion in 2018.
What do you think about Dana White possibly signing away Anthony Joshua to join the UFC”s new boxing promotion? Sound off in the comments and let us know
