“Anything is possible. Anything is possible, who knows?” said UFC CEO Dana White when asked about venturing into the world of boxing years after his initial attempt to make an impact on the sport. White was set to make his entry back in 2017 with Fuzza Boxing. However, according to him, the timing wasn’t right at that moment. But now, all the stars have aligned for the UFC CEO to make a groundbreaking entry into the boxing scene. Moreover, it appears that the bigger boxing promotions are trembling at their feet.
Turki Alalshikh has already left a mark on the stage of global boxing but it appears that he wants to have more control of the sport. In order to do that, Alalshikh appears to have chosen Dana White and TKO as their frontrunner. Last year, the UFC CEO announced that a significant announcement regarding a TKO boxing league would come to light this February. As the month approaches, other major boxing promoters could be looking nervously over their shoulders.
According to ESPN Boxing Insider, Mike Coppinger, many big boxing promoters were in Las Vegas to formulate a plan to brace for the storm in the face of Dana White and Turki Alalshikh, “Today, at The Wynn in Las Vegas, sources tell ESPN, there was a meeting among promoters and boxing officials — including Top Rank CEO Bob Arum and WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman,” wrote Coppinger on his X handle.
He further added, “One item discussed was how to deal with the upcoming arrival of the TKO Boxing League, led by Turki Alalshikh and Dana White. The TKO Boxing League, which hasn’t been formally announced yet, is expected to debut this fall.”
Today at The Wynn in Las Vegas, sources tell ESPN, there was a meeting among promoters and boxing officials – including Top Rank CEO Bob Arum and WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman – and one item discussed was how to deal with the upcoming arrival of the TKO Boxing League led by…
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) February 4, 2025
It appears that the timeline for the TKO boxing league debut has been shifted from February to the fall. However, one thing is certain. The UFC CEO Dana White is certainly ready to leave a mark on the boxing world.
With the massive investments from Saudi Arabia helping Dana White finance the boxing world, will we witness boxing’s biggest names rally under his leadership? Well, maybe not.
What has Dana White planned for his new boxing promotion?
Dana White as well as Turki Alalshikh were certain that they would be making some noise in the boxing world but what is their plan? Well, according to certain insiders, the UFC CEO is planning to make a completely new promotion that would bring about fresh faces from different parts of the globe. If we were to look at the current scenario, then undefeated super welterweight Callum Walsh is the frontrunner to be the face of the TKO Boxing League. His excellent relationship with White could have paved the way for this scenario.
We must note that as much as the UFC CEO would like to have Terence Crawford, Canelo Alvarez, or Tyson Fury fight under the banner, it would be really difficult to pull them in because they are in their prime. The agenda is quite clear: The spotlight will be on rising stars, with a focus on up-and-comers ready to make their mark.
However, it must be noted that in order to rise to the top, the promotion would need some top players and that would require heavy investments and that’s when Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund steps in. With the help of Turki Alalshikh, Dana White is planning to shock the boxing world but will be able to leave a mark on the centuries-old sport? Only time will tell. What are your thoughts on the hubbub? State your opinions in the comments below.
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