From Saudi Backing to UFC Influence: Will TKO Reshape Boxing?
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TKO Group Holdings—which oversees both the UFC and WWE—is collaborating with Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority chairman, Turki Alalshikh, to launch a new platform for top boxers and rising prospects. Alalshikh has been the driving force behind Saudi Arabia’s recent string of high-profile boxing events. UFC CEO Dana White will serve on the new organization’s executive board alongside WWE president Nick Khan.
The announcement has generated plenty of buzz. As with any new venture, there are pros and cons—along with clear winners and losers. Let’s focus on the latter.
Winners:
The Fighters – More opportunities usually mean bigger paydays. With Saudi financial backing, fighter purses have improved, making top talent more willing to face elite competition. Even better, lesser-known fighters will have a chance to become household names under this promotion.
The Fans – For years, modern boxing fans have pushed for best-vs-best matchups, which have been rare until recently. Promotional politics have often stood in the way, but this new venture could help eliminate those roadblocks. By aligning boxing closer to the UFC model, the sport may become more appealing and consistent in delivering marquee fights.
The Sport of Boxing – Since the rise of MMA and the UFC, boxing has struggled to capture mainstream attention. The UFC is known for giving fans the fights they want, something boxing once did regularly. With TKO’s involvement, there’s hope for a resurgence—one that could attract younger viewers to a sport long associated with an older audience.
Dana White – Love him or hate him, Dana White has been instrumental in the UFC’s rise. As a disruptor in combat sports, imagine if he turns TKO Boxing into the next big thing alongside the UFC? If successful, he would cement himself as the undisputed face of combat sports.
Losers:
Current Promoters – The days of PBC fighters fighting only PBC fighters and Top Rank fighters fighting only Top Rank fighters will soon be a thing of the past. With the financial backing of Alalshikh and TKO, fighters will no longer need a promoter to control their careers and matchmaking. Fighters will be signed directly to TKO, enabling quicker matchmaking without the political obstacles that slow things down today. TKO Boxing will likely operate similarly to the UFC, allowing fighters to compete more frequently—potentially up to three times a year instead of the usual one or two in today’s boxing model.
Boxing Sanctioning Bodies – The abundance of belts and champions due to boxing sanctioning bodies often causes confusion for casual fans. A single weight class can have up to four champions unless one fighter becomes undisputed. Under the TKO model, the traditional sanctioning bodies (IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO) would no longer be needed. Fighters would simply hold the title of undisputed champion. With the UFC-style approach, TKO would control matchmaking, ensuring that champions defend their belts regularly without being stalled by promotional disputes or conflicting mandatory obligations.
Weight Classes – Why are there three weight classes within a single division? It seems odd, but this system was created in the early days of boxing to ensure fairness. However, with so many divisions, top fighters can avoid each other by shifting weight classes while staying within a sanctioning body. By consolidating weight classes, TKO would create fewer divisions and increase the competitiveness of each one.
TKO Boxing aims to modernize the sport by creating a system where major fights happen regularly. As a fan of the sport, boxing needs to reclaim its past glory as a mainstream attraction.
What are your thoughts on the new promotion? Let us know in the comments!
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