TKO Group partners with Saudis to form new boxing promotion

[tymikeson]

Key Points Summary: New Boxing Promotion Announced: Saudi Arabia's Turki Alalshikh partners with TKO (UFC + WWE) to create a new boxing promotion.

Leadership Team: UFC President Dana White and WWE President Nick Khan will lead the venture.

First Event in 2026: The promotion plans its debut event with a focus on developing new global boxing talent.

Talent Development: Athlete combines and academies will be part of the structured system to nurture boxers.

Performance Institute Access: Boxers will train at UFC Performance Institutes in Las Vegas, Mexico City, and Shanghai.

Production & Media: TKO's media team will handle in-arena experience and global broadcasts.

Saudi Sports Investment: The project is part of Saudi Arabia's massive investment in global sports.

Alalshikhs Influence: He has hosted major boxing events like Fury vs. Ngannou and owns The Ring magazine.

Unified Boxing Vision: The league aims to simplify boxing by having the best fight the best, without multiple champions per weight class.

Dana Whites Passion: White believes this league can "crush everything" and finally fix boxing's fractured system.

https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/44120770/tko-group-partners-saudis-form-new-boxing-promotion

 

[tymikeson]

this will only be viable if they pay boxers what they are currently getting paid....and that saudi money is seemingly endless along with Turki Alalshikh passion for boxing.

 

[Daniel Henry]

Dana just became a billionaire with this move

 

[Area809]

If they are in fact following the UFC model, I doubt they’ll fork over the money to pay real big names in boxing. And even if you’re developed from the beginning and become a draw under this promotion, why wouldn’t you eventually go with a promoter that pays you loads more?

 

[Pittie Petey]

Maybe Bart Gunn can finally get his get backs on Butterbean

 

[Elvis.]

Logan or Jake Paul will fight Conor McGregor to kick off this fiasco

 

[Darkavius]

If they are in fact following the UFC model, I doubt they’ll fork over the money to pay real big names in boxing. And even if you’re developed from the beginning and become a draw under this promotion, why wouldn’t you eventually go with a promoter that pays you loads more?

I think they will pay some of the big money initially which is why Turki is there. However, you can guarantee legal is involved so they won't be able to just jump promoters. The assumption is they wouldn't be able to do much at first but they would plan to put the current promoters in a corner and get them out of the business.

 

[WklySportsMemes]

If they are in fact following the UFC model, I doubt they’ll fork over the money to pay real big names in boxing. And even if you’re developed from the beginning and become a draw under this promotion, why wouldn’t you eventually go with a promoter that pays you loads more?

They won't have a choice. They can get away with it in the UFC because they are the biggest and have a semi-monoply on this aide of the globe. If you dont want to travel across the world they are the only consistent game & stable option around. Bellator folded. PFL is not paying and shelving some of their top guys because they can't afford the contracts they took over. One FC is completely foreign and just not feasible for most western athletes. Any other ORG can not pay you consistently what the UFC does.

In boxing there are plenty of promoters that can get the stars big pay days. They been getting paid since before Turki & Saudi

If they don't pay boxers more they aren't going to sign with them.
I think this is more so to build talent internationally and give guys a shot who aren't going to blue chips to the few big name promoters.

But if they want talent they are going to have to pay the same or more as the staples because they have competition.

 

[Dr Fong]

They won't have a choice. They can get away with it in the UFC because they are the biggest and have a semi-monoply on this aide of the globe. If you dont want to travel across the world they are the only consistent game & stable option around. Bellator folded. PFL is not paying and shelving some of their top guys because they can't afford the contracts they took over. One FC is completely foreign and just not feasible for most western athletes. Any other ORG can not pay you consistently what the UFC does.

In boxing there are plenty of promoters that can get the stars big pay days. They been getting paid since before Turki & Saudi

If they don't pay boxers more they aren't going to sign with them.
I think this is more so to build talent internationally and give guys a shot who aren't going to blue chips to the few big name promoters.

But if they want talent they are going to have to pay the same or more as the staples because they have competition.

I think you are underestimating what is going on here.

Kill the Ali Act. Then kill the competition. And don't think a Saudi-TKO alliance wouldn't have the deep pockets and political connections to pull it off.

Boxers won't be able to sign with other promoters for bigger money if these promoters no longer exist.

 

[WklySportsMemes]

I think you are underestimating what is going on here.

Kill the Ali Act. Then kill the competition. And don't think a Saudi-TKO alliance wouldn't have the deep pockets and political connections to pull it off.

Boxers won't be able to sign with other promoters for bigger money if these promoters no longer exist.

No, somebody doesn't have global political connections to end promotions in boxing in every country or to stop big fights happening world wide.

How does this kill promoters ????
Connect the dots in a logical way.

It's just another new big promotion company that might could pay fighters more in turn for forcing tougher fights.

Dana has tried his hand at boxing promotion before.

I'm not too worried.

 

[burningspear]

Obviously the goal is a UFC of boxing, Dana White with Turkis funds should strike fear into the hearts of boxers worldwide tbh