Dana White's arrival in the boxing world as a main promoter appears imminent as the UFC boss is in advance talks with Turki Alalshikh to start a new boxing league.
Since its founding 32 years ago, Dana White has been the main driving force behind the UFC's tremendous success, with the promotion growing exponentially every year.
In 2024, the promotion had its best year yet, breaking its own arena records and hosting several monumental events, including the landmark UFC 300.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Dana White in advanced talks to join the boxing competition with Turki Alalshikh
Despite the success he has had in MMA with the UFC, boxing was always White's sport of choice and when he was younger he even competed at a decent level in the ring.
Having gained experience in the boxing ring during his teens and early twenties, it seemed only natural that once he built the UFC into one of the biggest sports promotions in the world, he would turn his attention to boxing.
That shift appears to be imminent, as the UFC boss is now in advanced talks with the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, according to The New York Times.
Alalshikh is widely regarded as boxing's savior, given some of the blockbuster fights he has organized in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the sport back together and hosting some of its most sought-after fights.
Last September, White organized his first event as a boxing promoter when he took an event to the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. White has been managing boxing prospect Callum Walsh for a number of years now and appears to be taking a step closer to his career.
According to the New York Times report, Alalshikh is in advanced talks with TKO Holdings, the company that owns both the UFC and the WWE, and they are working together to create a new boxing league.
Turki Alalshikh has been advocating for years that boxing should all be under one umbrella, like the UFC, instead of having different governing bodies like the WBA, WBO etc.
Not only would this be easier for fans of the sport to follow, but it would also make it easier for the promoters to create the big fights that fans crave because everything would be unified.
Dana White and Turki Alalshikh have already worked closely together at major UFC events
The relationship between the UFC boss and Turki seems to be becoming fruitful. The two have teamed up several times in 2024, with UFC 306 sponsored by Riyadh Season last September.
The monumental event resulted in the highest-grossing UFC event of all time and was the highest-grossing event in the Sphere, with an entry fee of $22 million.
The UFC also hosted their first event in Saudi Arabia earlier this year and will return to Saudi Arabia for another event in the country next February.
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