Floyd Mayweather’s Privilege Denied as Dana White Delivers on Boxing Promise With Turki Alalshikh
Boxing may soon welcome a new promotion. Not entirely new, though. Dana White has been in the combat sports business for the last 32 years. He transformed the UFC from a small $2 million business into a $10 billion behemoth. White could bring similar success to boxing, particularly with the backing of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. Together, they may reshape the traditional structure of a sport that has long been defined by its conventions.
Introducing significant changes, HE Alalshikh and Riyadh Season have already made notable strides in boxing. Their efforts have brought some of the most high-profile fights in recent years to the forefront. Speaking with Carl Froch, HE Alalshikh roped in a Floyd Mayweather example and hinted at potential transformations. With Dana White’s involvement, fans can expect notable changes in the sport moving forward.
On Froch’s channel, HE Alalshikh shared his views on a possible matchup between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, both of whom have suffered recent losses. For Alalshikh, the key question was whether both fighters were focused and determined enough to make the historic clash happen.
Froch acknowledged this concern. He noted that Tyson Fury’s recent loss to Oleksandr Usyk might impact his motivation for a comeback. Alalshikh emphasized that it was time for a shift in how losses are perceived in boxing. He suggested that losing shouldn’t be viewed negatively.
“We must now, uh, be, uh, normal, uh, to be, uh, normal, uh, to have losing some fights in the boxing,” he said. The Riyadh Season pointed out that most fighters dream of maintaining an undefeated record like Floyd Mayweather Jr. However, such records are rare, and phenomena like Mayweather’s success come along only once in a generation. “All the fighters want similar to the career of (Floyd)Mayweather – zero losses. This can happen one time every 50/60/70 years,” the Saudi Royal contended.
Citing Muhammad Ali‘s example, HE Alalshikh said, “We need like the UFC model now, where the champions are losing and winning. Muhammad Ali lost five times and he’s still the legend.”
New vision for boxing and Dana White’s arrival
A recent report by The New York Times revealed that a team from Saudi Arabia is in talks with TKO Holdings, the parent company of UFC, to create a new boxing league. It’s been suggested for long. Rather than having separate governing bodies, the idea of consolidating boxing under one unified organization, similar to the UFC, sounds appealing to many. This consolidation would simplify the sport for fans. Forpromoters, it could also become easy to organize major fights that appeal to the audience.
Dana White’s involvement in boxing isn’t entirely new. Despite his focus on mixed martial arts, the UFC president has long been enthusiastic about the sport. In the past, he played a significant role in promoting the mega-fight between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Last year, White expanded his partnership with Riyadh Season. The ‘Riyadh Season Noche UFC’ in Las Vegas became the highest-grossing event in UFC history. White also made his formal entry into boxing with the launch of ‘UFC Fight Pass,’ which featured Callum Walsh in the main event in Dublin, Ireland, in September. Speaking with the media, White reportedly said, “We’ve been kicking the whole boxing thing around for a long time, but you’ve never heard me commit and say ‘I’m in’. Well, I’m in.”
With his vast experience and innovative approach, Dana White could introduce groundbreaking concepts to boxing. His involvement may open new opportunities for young fighters who often face long waits for major bouts, ultimately benefiting the sport as a whole.
What do you think? Do you agree with HE Alalshikh’s view that boxing needs a UFC-style structure and modernization?
