Berlanga, who recently aligned himself with Dana White’s new promotional venture, said the difference was obvious as soon as he saw how the company operates behind the scenes. In his view, boxing has talent and history, but too often runs without a clear system.
“I feel like that’s what boxing lacks is the structure behind everything,” Berlanga said to the Danza Project.
That line will sound familiar to anyone who has watched boxing’s fragmented model for years. Multiple promoters, rival networks, stalled negotiations, and belt politics have often slowed fights that fans wanted quickly. The UFC, by contrast, sells consistency as much as star power.
Berlanga said even small details stood out when he attended a UFC event, pointing to timing, organization, and sponsor presence.
“It’s just the structure is just amazing,” Berlanga said about Zuffa. “That’s why they have big sponsorships.”
The super middleweight contender also believes White understands something boxing has often mishandled: how to build personalities into commercial attractions rather than leaving fighters to do it alone.
“With Dana, he’s more about building a brand and building fighters up,” Berlanga said.
That may explain why Zuffa targeted Berlanga early. Whatever critics think of his recent form, he remains a known name with a ready-made New York and Puerto Rican audience, and he knows how to generate attention outside the ring.
The sanctioning bodies can rank contenders, but promoters still decide who gets marketed hard enough to become stars.
Whether Zuffa can fix boxing’s deeper problems is another question. One signing does not change a sport. But Berlanga’s comments reflect why some fighters are listening. They see a business model that sells events, builds names, and moves with less delay than boxing usually allows.
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