UFC top honcho Dana White getting into the boxing scene? Sounds weird doesn’t it? But this could very well become a reality. At least, according to the sly hints he dropped following Tuesday’s episode of Contender Series in Las Vegas. This update comes off the heels of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s claims of creating a boxing ‘super league.’
You see, the thing is, this isn’t the first time White’s genius brain has veered toward promoting fights in the squared circle. The 55-year-old had a passion for boxing—he even tried his hand at promoting the sport, just to be rebuffed by the bigwigs, which led to his hatred towards promoters like Oscar De La Hoya and Bob Arum.
Regardless, during the Contender Series press conference, a reporter brought up the Saudi Royal—the current chairman of the country’s General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh’s desire to create a unified boxing league. The reporter probed White about TKO Group Holdings, the new company formed after the merger of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), potentially helping out His Excellency in forming the boxing ‘super league.’
While White wasn’t very forthcoming with his response, his statement hinted at an exciting collaboration that could see the duo shake hands. “Anything is possible. Anything is possible. Who knows,” White said while smiling gleefully. It’s worth noting that White and the Saudi royal have already collaborated, with the UFC debuting in Saudi Arabia featuring Robert Whittaker and Ikram Aliskerov in June.
They even have the Riyadh Season Noche UFC event, featuring Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili on September 14th. Needless to say, they know how to work together. On the other hand, His Excellency has had relative success in bringing several factions in boxing together to make the biggest fights, the Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren partnership being the best example.
And the good news is—Hearn has confirmed he and Warren are in conversation with His Excellency to create the boxing league, which aims to bring all the promotions together to produce the best fights and could cost $4 billion [£3.03 billion]. According to a report from talkSport, Hearn said, “There’s a huge amount of work to take place. We’re in those conversations with him. It’s all part of the plans and strategies that have been discussed… We’re all in for it.”
So who knows, if all goes well, this could very well be the beginning of TKO Boxing. However, this isn’t the first time White has expressed interest in dabbling in boxing after the formation of the TKO Group.
Dana White on starting a boxing division
All the way back in September 2023, Dana White hinted at the then-newly formed TKO Group Holdings’ potential foray into boxing. When asked by ProBox TV whether TKO, which oversees both UFC and WWE, would start a new boxing division or acquire an existing one, White leaned towards creating something new.
“I would create,” White stated, suggesting that the company was considering developing its own boxing entity rather than purchasing an established promotion like Golden Boy or Top Rank. White’s comments underscore TKO’s ambition to replicate its success in UFC and WWE within the boxing realm. “Yeah,” White initially responded when asked if there’s room for a boxing company under TKO, indicating a positive outlook on the expansion.
Things are looking up for His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s desire to start a boxing ‘super league’ as Dana White seemed open to collaborating with its formation. However, it’s vital to remember nothing has been confirmed yet. What’s your take on this potential handshake?
The post Years of Unsuccessful Attempts Later, Dana White Ready to Go All Out With TKO Boxing as He Hints at Collaboration With HE Turki Alalshikh appeared first on EssentiallySports.
