Dana White's New Boxing Promotion

This is not the first time Dana White has initiated a boxing promotion. He has flirted with the idea for over a decade, but it became official in June 2025.

He has never been one to play it safe. Whether it is transforming the UFC into a worldwide MMA conglomerate or his already legendary fondness for online blackjack, he has earned the reputation of a man who puts millions on the line and comes out the winner.

Dana has partnered with the powerful Saudi Arabian Turki Alalshikh to launch a new boxing league, commonly known as Zuffa Boxing. The partnership is through his parent firm, TKO Group

Turki Alalshikh is not new to the boxing world. He has played a pivotal role in the transformation of the sector. He has staged major boxing matches in Riyadh, and most of the top boxers have shown interest in attending Saudi fights.

White and Alalshikh combined would add business muscle, wallets and vision in transforming boxing to the next level.

Dana White and Turki Alalshikh's powerhouse partnership

What makes this collaboration news-worthy? Well, it is a fusion of two forces that have independently changed combat sports.

The UFC, founded by Dana White, has revolutionized the way MMA is viewed globally. The boxing matches staged during this Riyadh Season by Alalshikh have attracted top-quality fighters, in addition to millions of viewers worldwide.

They are now collaborating to:

• Plan boxing all year round.
• Offer competitive fight packages featuring top-tier talent.
• Bring an overhaul to the marketing and TV coverage of boxing worldwide.

Reports indicate that the new league created by White will include more than one division with structured seasons, and there is a chance that it will introduce a ranking system for fighters, similar to the UFC. The goal? Do away with the broken titles and politics of boxing, which people always complain about.

What is new about Zuffa Boxing?

Various promoters, sanctioning organisations and broadcasters have created hurdles that have deprived the best fighters of the opportunity to fight regularly. Zuffa Boxing is to rectify that.

The league is projected to:

• Make it centralised: Fights will be held under a promotional banner, similar to UFC.
• Emphasis on regular fight cards: There will no longer be a need to wait a few months before major fights.
• Utilise global streaming: Streamlining for a broader audience, worldwide.
• Provide clear contract terms for fighters: An aspect of boxing that has been a long-running dark spot.

The strategy is radical, but it might finally streamline the complex nature of boxing.

How were talks initiated?

This partnership can be traced back to several high-profile boxing events held in Saudi Arabia in 2023 and 2024. Turki Alalshikh introduced the super fights featuring Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.

According to a report exclusive to CBS Sports, negotiations between White and Alalshikh began in earnest towards the end of 2024. They are both interested in producing a globally appealing boxing product that caters to contemporary sports enthusiasts.

The deal was consummated in the early months of 2025, with the inaugural season of Zuffa Boxing anticipated to be issued in early 2026.

What is the implication for the boxing world?

In the case of Zuffa Boxing's success, the overall boxing world would undergo significant changes in many different ways. For Fighters:

• Better fight opportunities.
• Potential increase in assured purses.
• For Fans:

  • Fewer queues
  • Simplified streaming as opposed to pay-per-view

• For Promoters:

  • Talent competition
  • Potential co-promotion agreements, since White is well-known to be an independent label

• Positioning Saudi Arabia and the Middle East as a top choice for hosting elite combat sports.

Will the boxing purists accept it?

Boxing is an old sport, and its promoters are patriarchal and are not willing to share authority. Its critics believe that such a league (similar to the UFC) would excessively commercialize boxing or marginalize boxing champions who hold legacy belts, such as the WBC, the WBA, and the IBF.

Yet, to a great number of younger fans and viewers worldwide who are tired of the shenanigans in backstage politics, the model by White could provide answers and energy. Just as he did with MMA, White is wagering that the current sports consumer places a premium on the reliability of action, a good narrative, and accessibility.

Whether the purists will join them on the ride or Zuffa Boxing will further divide the sport, only time will tell.

The UFC transformed the history of MMA with Dana White. Today, he is collaborating with one of the largest worldwide sponsors of boxing to bring the same attention to the sweet art of boxing.

Zuffa Boxing is a fresh start in the sport. It has Saudi funding and a proven business model, as used by White, which makes it attractive to fighters, fans, and broadcasters worldwide.

The question is whether this latest promotion will bring boxing together or turn it upside down. However, one thing is certain: fight fans will have enough to discuss in the coming years.

In the meantime, expect to see a huge step in this area.