Shockwaves were sent through the boxing world on Wednesday, with the announcement that Saudi Boxing chief, Turki Alalshikh has partnered with TKO Group to launch a groundbreaking boxing league.
Both the UFC and the WWE fall under the TKO banner and together with Alalshikh, there is every possibility the boxing landscape could be about to change significantly.
The head of the General Entertainment Authority has been largely responsible for the recent Saudi investment into the sport over the past couple of years, which has brought about some of the best fight cards in recent memory.
That had been in conjunction with established promoters such as Frank Warren, Eddie Hearn and Bob Arum – however that could all be about to change.
In his statement announcing the new venture, Alalshikh promised to “crush everything,” which many feel reads as a warning to the boxing figures he has been working alongside.
Alalshikh has entrusted UFC frontman Dana White to run the league and implement his organisation’s highly profitable, but somewhat controversial format into boxing.
The Legacy continues🥊🔥 pic.twitter.com/ifoGMnYdon
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) March 5, 2025
“If you want to fix boxing or any sport or doing some big project like this, we will not have any options better than Dana White,” Alalshikh said during a video posted on his X account.
“And when I see him in this hotel before, one year [ago[, with our friend Nick [Khan, TKO board member], and we are talking about this … we go on back, and we have the same vision.
“And I trust [that] this league, in a short time, will crush everything.”
White has often been accused of not giving fighter’s a fair share of revenue, though it is unclear whether the same pay model will be adopted in his pugilistic venture.
However, he has stated the sporting format will be the same as has been instrumental to the UFC’s rise over the past 20 years.
“There’s zero speculation on the format. You know the format, and everybody knows the format.
“The best fight the best. You work your way up the rankings, and once somebody breaks into the top five, there’s no question who the best five guys in the world are in each weight class, and they fight it out.
“And then, once somebody holds that belt, you don’t need three letters in front of the belt.
