Dana White addresses TKO Boxing potentially helping Turki Alalshikh's proposed boxing league: "Anything is possible"
Dana White recently offered a diplomatic response when asked about TKO Boxing's possible involvement in supporting Turki Alalshikh’s proposed boxing league. As chairman of the Saudi Arabia General Entertainment Authority, Alalshikh has played a pivotal role in enhancing boxing’s prominence, not just within the Kingdom but on the global stage as well.
In June, reports surfaced indicating that Saudi Arabian's Public Investment Fund (PIF), under the guidance of Alalshikh, is in negotiations with various key figures in the boxing industry to launch a groundbreaking league envisioned as the "UFC of boxing." PIF is aiming to invest in a joint venture with top stakeholders to increase the frequency of high-profile boxing bouts.
In a recent interview with talkSPORT, Alalshikh confirmed his ambitions to establish a boxing league while also aiming to reduce the number of world titles for a more unified and streamlined sport.
Following Tuesday's 'Contender Series' post-event press conference, White was questioned about whether the UFC and its parent company, TKO Group, which have existing agreements with Saudi Arabian entities to bring their events to the region, are in any way involved in helping Alalshikh's endeavor to create a boxing league.
The UFC CEO, who has long been a vocal critic of boxing as a sport, responded:
"Anything is possible. Anything is possible, who knows?"
Check out Dana White's comments below:
Despite TKO Group not having officially ventured into the boxing world yet, the rapidly strengthening partnership between White and Alalshikh hints that a formal collaboration between the UFC and Saudi authorities in the boxing scene may soon be on the horizon.
Boxing has frequently come under fire for the excessive number of championship belts, with four major organizations—WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO—governing the sport. With 17 weight classes and a multitude of interim and regular champions across these bodies, this contributes to the sport's often criticized complexity and fragmentation.
Turki Alalshikh praises Dana White as leading business minds in martial arts
Ahead of the UFC's inaugural event in Saudi Arabia in June, Dana White and Turki Alalshikh met face-to-face. During their meeting, Alalshikh praised the UFC CEO, calling him one of the finest businessmen he’s ever had the privilege of collaborating with in the world of combat sports. He said in a video on X:
"With my brother Dana White, I'm very glad to see you today for the first time, UFC debut in the Kingdom, and it will not be the last time... He is one of the best business guys and smartest guys ever seen in the martial arts business, and I am very happy to work with him. We have a lot of surprises in the future."
Check out Turki Alalshikh's comments below: