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With UFC 313 generating plenty of headlines, UFC CEO Dana White is also making waves by promoting his latest boxing venture in collaboration with Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh. Naturally, MMA fans are curious about how this new endeavor might impact the UFC product. Could this turn into another crossover spectacle like Power Slap? Or will there be clear separations similar to the UFC-WWE structure, ensuring mixed martial arts remains distinct from professional wrestling?
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, White made it clear that the new boxing league will not spill over into UFC operations, and fighters won’t be swapping the Octagon for the boxing ring.
“No, never,” White stated. “I’m sure there are guys that want to box, but I literally don’t want to see any of that. We keep the boxers in the boxing and MMA guys in the MMA. We’ll never have that.”
Pereira’s Hopes Dashed Amid Boxing Expansion
This news might come as a disappointment to UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, who had entertained the idea of facing Oleksandr Usyk under the newly formed partnership between UFC’s parent company, TKO Group, and Turki Alalshikh.
When asked about the league’s potential, Pereira kept things open-ended.
“Who knows,” Pereira said during UFC 313 media day. “September, Saudi Arabia?”
Big Names Rumored for Boxing League’s Launch Event
The new boxing promotion is expected to make its debut in September, with speculation that the inaugural event could feature a blockbuster showdown between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Terence Crawford. Given Alalshikh’s track record of securing high-profile fights, the possibility of Usyk joining the card isn’t entirely out of the question.
However, how this boxing venture will be financially structured remains a major question. TKO Group Holdings has been laser-focused on maximizing profits from UFC pay-per-views, often thinning out fight cards beyond the main and co-main events. Whether their corporate strategy will extend to boxing remains to be seen, but fans are keeping a close watch on how this new league unfolds.
