Dana White and Turki Alalshikh are shaking up the boxing world with a new league. The duo recently announced their plan to create a fresh boxing organization under TKO Group Holdings. Their goal? To breathe new life into the sport and help it grow as fast as the UFC has.
Rumors had been swirling about tension between White and Alalshikh. Some media outlets suggested White wasn't involved in promoting the upcoming Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford fight. But White quickly shut down those whispers.
"I'll tell you what's incredible, man. There's a lot of fucked up stuff in boxing, but nobody says shit. I mean, nobody talks. It's the most amazing thing. If we sign a deal, I have to grab the damn phone right away and say, 'Hey, we just...!' Because there will be 90,000 people talking about it. But these guys don't say anything. I'm promoting the fight," White said.
White's words highlight how tight-lipped the boxing world can be. He made it clear he's actively involved in promoting the fight, contrary to what some might think.
Alalshikh has been making his own announcements about the fight. At first, he said he and White would promote it together. Later, he updated that Sela will handle the promotion as part of Riyadh season.
The fight is set for September 13. It's an undisputed super middleweight title bout that Sela will promote for Riyadh Season. The network that will broadcast the fight hasn't been decided yet, but it's likely to take place in Las Vegas.
White and Alalshikh's partnership seems strong, despite the rumors. Alalshikh has often praised White's work with the UFC. Their new boxing league aims to bring that same level of success to boxing, modernizing the sport and helping it reach new heights.
