Dana White Announces New Boxing Promotion With Saudis

Posted on: March 6, 2025, 10:57h. 

Last updated on: March 6, 2025, 12:39h.

Mark Keast Read More
Expertise: Canadian Gaming, iGaming, Las Vegas, Sports Betting, NFL, Boxing, UFC.
  • White plays up the business potential of boxing after spending years running it down
  • Partnership deal between Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and TKO, which owns UFC and WWE
  • First boxing event planned for 2026

Things have come full circle for UFC President and CEO Dana White, with the news the Saudis have joined forces with TKO Group Holdings Inc. to create a new boxing promotion.

UFC President and CEO Dana White took the stage on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, to announce a new partnership with a Saudi group to roll out a new boxing promotion. (Image: Unsplash)

Deal Between TKO, Alalshikh, and Sela

TKO owns the UFC and WWE. The company also owns PBR, The Professional Bull Riders organization. Together, the properties organize more than 500 events annually in 201 countries. 

White, 55, initially intended to become a pro boxer himself, and ran boxercise gyms back in his youth. His connection with the Fertitta brothers — Lorenzo and Frank — led to the acquisition and relaunch of UFC in 2001, which has grown into the billion dollar monolith it is today.

As boxing sunk in popularity and UFC rose, White regularly cut down pro boxing’s business model. 

That seems to have changed. Or rather, the new boxing venture will incorporate the business model that has made UFC successful. 

Along with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, White announced the new boxing promotion in partnership with TKO, with the first event expected to be in 2026. Sela, an entertainment subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is also part of the multiyear partnership.

Reimagining Boxing 

“This is a strategic opportunity to reimagine the sport of boxing globally,” said Mark Shapiro, TKO’s president and CEO. “TKO has the deep expertise, promotional prowess, and longstanding relationships. HE Turki Alalshikh and Sela share our passion and vision for evolving the current model. Together, we can bring the sweet science back to its rightful place in the forefront of the global sports ecosystem.”

TKO will serve as managing partner, providing day-to-day operational expertise, management, and oversight of the promotion, with executive leadership anchored by White and WWE president and TKO board member Nick Khan.

96K Boxing Fans at Wembley

Sela has delivered some big international boxing events in recent years on the promotion end, including Terence Crawford versus Israil Madrimov in Los Angeles, and Anthony Joshua versus Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium, which set a UK attendance record of 96K.

“The model is proven to deliver the fights that the fans want to see,” White said on Wednesday. “The best will fight the best. Fighters will move up the rankings and become world champions.”

How Much Will Bettors Care?

TKO said in a statement that further details about the new boxing promotion, including fighter signings, fight schedules, venues and host locations will be revealed in the coming months.

The new promotion will focus on developing new talent from around the world, with combines and academies, and all boxers will have access to the UFC Performance Institute, a sports training, nutrition, rehab center in Las Vegas, Mexico City and Shanghai. TKO’s production, media and promotional expertise will be behind bringing it all to life.

Speaking with Sportico, White asked “When was the first boxing match? 1681? So think about this: 1681 to 2025. Tell me something that’s created trillions of dollars in revenue, and at the end of the day, there’s nothing there. By the time we’re done, this will be a league much like the UFC. You have the brand, and there’s all these ancillary things that are built off the brand — video games, gyms, merchandise, the list goes on and on. All of these things will create revenue that will also kick back to the fighters like the UFC does.”

Avello: Dana White Will Shake Things Up

Sportsbooks are taking notice. John Ewing from BetMGM said interest will depend on the fighters.

Perhaps if they create a UFC style league where they determine the fights (this might be the plan) and it is not up to the boxers, it may draw more interest from bettors,” he said.

“The matchups drive interest. Jake Paul has consistently been the biggest draw in boxing, and his fight with Tyson was the most bet in BetMGM history,” he added.

While boxing won’t regain its former glory overnight, DraftKings’ Director of Race and Sportsbook Operations Johnny Avello said “White’s determination to shake things up with fresh talent and new markets is certainly a step in the right direction to bring excitement and engagement back to this sport.”

“This industry is full of wagering opportunities right now to enhance the fan experience, and DraftKings will continue to be at the forefront,” Avello added.