Tom Loeffler says he is in support of UFC President and CEO Dana White’s endeavors in boxing.
Loeffler, who heads 360 Promotions, is currently promoting a St. Patrick's Day weekend card on UFC Fight Pass between junior middleweight Callum Walsh and Dean Sutherland at the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York City. The bout will air on UFC Fight Pass.
Loeffler is one of the few people in the boxing world who has formed a relationship with White, who recently joined forces with power broker Turki Alalshikh.
“I think that's going to put a lot of momentum, a lot of energy into the sport of boxing,” Loeffler told BoxingScene. “When you get the best combat sports promoter in the world, what Dana's done with the UFC ... we just went to the WWE show last night here at Madison Square Garden and you couple that with Nick Khan and WWE and then you have the backing of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, I really think that's going to make a lot of noise and bring a lot of positive energy into the sport of boxing.
“I'm excited about the future,” Loeffler said, ”what Dana is going to bring to the boxing world.”
The pacing of Loeffler's shows resembles that of the UFC model. It’s a no-nonsense style that keeps things moving between fights. Right now, no one knows exactly what White’s boxing influence will look like or how it will evolve. But Loeffler believes that fighters from 360 Promotions fit the bill for future White-driven fight cards.
“I think all the guys we work with are great for what he's talking about,” Loeffler said. “Dana wants to see competitive fights and exciting fights, and that's the criteria by which we have to sign fighters. That's a promise I made to Dana, that when we started doing boxing on UFC Fight Pass, we're going to put on competitive fights.”
Loeffler also echoed a common sentiment that boxing cards have traditionally lacked depth. You might see a good fight at the top of the bill, maybe two or even three. But, mostly, undercards are filled with developmental bouts designed to build young prospects. Loeffler points to the depth of UFC cards over the past two decades, which now has created a loyalty in the promotion's fan base.
“When you go to a UFC show, the arenas fill up early because he puts on great, competitive and marketable undercard fights that people want to see,” Loeffler said. “Fans actually turn up for the early fights. We're going to see that same thing, the same formula, on Sunday here at Madison Square Garden for our St Patrick's Day special."
Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.