Explained: The bombshell Saudi boxing league that will use UFC and WWE to ‘make the sport great again’ and poached Conor Benn – who holds the power now, what will happen to Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren… and what are the risks?

It’s a groundbreaking move poised to upend the boxing landscape as we know it, and throws into huge doubt the future of some of the sport’s biggest names such as Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren. 

The Zuffa Boxing league was announced last year with the aim of unifying all world title belts, bringing in a sole ranking system and combining the expertise of the UFC, WWE, Turki Alalshikh, Dana White and Saudi Arabia’s entertainment company Sela. Now TKO Group Holdings have poached Conor Benn from Hearn’s Matchroom, too.

After decades of domination by Matchroom and Warren’s Queensberry Boxing, this could be the start of a total overhaul in boxing. 

The new league format – it is hoped – will cut down the endless squabbling and negotiations over who fights who and who is the real champion of the world. 

And now that Zuffa have made their first major signing, what does this bombshell development really mean? How will it work, who will be in charge and what does it mean for boxing as we know it? 

Daily Mail Sport‘s step-by-step guide will tell you everything you need to know. 

A unified vision for boxing – no more WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO?

One of the most revolutionary aspects of this initiative is its commitment to streamlining boxing’s often fragmented structure.

White wants a UFC-style model where fighters must prove themselves against top contenders to hold unified championship belts, addressing the current complexities arising from multiple sanctioning bodies. 

In the UFC fighters are ranked in various weight classes, and championship titles are determined by a clear and straightforward progression based on performance and rankings. 

Fighters must work their way up the rankings by winning bouts against top contenders, and title fights are typically made between the highest-ranked athletes in each division. This ensures fans know who the best fighters are and how they earn their shot at a title.

In contrast, boxing can be far more fragmented, with multiple sanctioning bodies — such as the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO — each awarding their own belts. This often leads to confusion and disputes over who the ‘real’ champion is, and fighters may hold multiple belts from multiple bodies without ever facing off in a true unification fight. 

Speaking to The Ring Magazine about how the new promotion will operate and differ from the current format, White said: ‘The best will fight the best. There is zero speculation about the format. You know the format, everyone knows the format, the best will fight the best. 

‘You work your way up the rankings and once somebody breaks into the top five, there will be no question who the best five guys in the world are in each weight class and they fight it out.

‘Once somebody holds that belt, you don’t need three letters in front of the belt; whoever has that belt is the best in the world at that weight class. It’s a very simple model.’

He added in an interview with ESPN: ‘You get rid of all the five different champions in five different sanctioning organisations. One – it will just be one.’

Who will be running the show?  

TKO will serve as managing partner, providing day-to-day operational expertise, management, and oversight of the promotion, with executive leadership anchored by UFC President and CEO White and WWE President and TKO board member Khan.

White and Khan will have the full support of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and Sela. Alalshikh told The Ring Magazine: ‘This is (White’s) call now and it is now his responsibility to deliver the people and the fans the best model of boxing.’ 

Who are Sela and how are they involved? 

Saudi Arabia’s involvement in this new boxing venture comes in the form of Sela and is part of its broader strategy to invest heavily in sports including golf, Formula One and football.

Sela is a Saudi Arabian company specialising in creating, constructing, and operating unique entertainment and hospitality experiences across sports, culture, and leisure sectors; most notably known for developing large-scale events in Saudi Arabia and now beyond.

Sela – through Riyadh Season, a series of events in the Saudi capital – have played a pivotal role in promoting and delivering some of the biggest international boxing events in recent years, including Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov in Los Angeles, and the 2024 fight between Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium, which set a new UK attendance record of 96,000. 

Sela is Newcastle United’s lead sponsor and has delivered projects such as Riyadh Winter Wonderland, Formula E, and the Italian Super Cup.  

What could the structure look like?

While specifics of the league’s structure are still under wraps, we can imagine a system designed to revolutionise how the sport operates.

It will aim to mirror the highly successful UFC model, which has become known for its unified approach to matchmaking and its focus on global viewership. 

One potential structure could see a central governing body that controls all major bouts, with fighters required to compete in a clear progression based on rankings and performance, eliminating the need for multiple sanctioning bodies.

A world championship belt could be introduced into each weight class, with top fighters from around the world competing for the chance to become the undisputed champion. 

A key feature of this league could be its emphasis on transparency, where the financial side of boxing — such as fighter contracts, purses, and sponsorship deals — might be made more visible, leading to perhaps more equitable opportunities for emerging talent. 

Additionally, the promotion may introduce new event formats, which could include regular seasons or tournament-style bouts that build up to a climactic championship event, giving fans something to look forward to all year round.

What will fight nights look like?

When discussing the new format, White said: ‘There’s a lot of fun, exciting fights to make out there, and you know how I run shows — the live events will all change, it will be much better than anything you’ve ever seen before.’

He also said: ‘My son just went to a show this weekend. He said the live event was terrible and disorganised. We are going to clean that up. We’re gonna make the events great again, too. 

‘The run of show will be faster, and it won’t take nine hours to see four fights. These guys put on a fight, and then have a podcast, and then put on another fight, and have a podcast.

‘The show will run like UFC does. Fight after fight after fight.’ 

The first fight took place in September – the blockbuster showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford, which the American won by unanimous decision in Las Vegas, live on Netflix.

Zuffa has subsequently held three more fortnightly cards in the Las Vegas Valley, and the next is on March 8 between Jai Opetaia and Brandon Glanton for the Zuffa Boxing and The Ring cruiserweight titles.

Will AJ and the big hitters be involved?

White has indicated that the new boxing league will feature both high-profile names and emerging talent. However, beyond Benn, the emphasis appears to be on cultivating new talent. 

White stated: ‘There’s a lot of guys out there that we’re looking at. They’re all gonna fight each other. And what people wanna see are great fights and they wanna know who is the best in the world.’

Joshua has signed a career-long promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing, led by Eddie Hearn. The specifics of this agreement have not been made public but given this longstanding partnership it seems unlikely that AJ would participate in the new boxing league. 

However, considering Saudi Arabia’s significant investment in boxing and Joshua’s involvement in high-profile events under the Riyadh Season banner, the possibility cannot be entirely dismissed.

How does this impact Eddie Hearn, Frank Warren and the established boxing promoters? 

The impacts are already being felt, such as the Benn signing. The key question is: will they fight back, get on board, or find a way to coexist with a promotion that has the financial muscle to fundamentally change how boxing operates?

Hearn and Warren are no strangers to working with Saudi Arabia, having both staged major events under the Riyadh Season banner.

Warren’s Queensberry Promotions was the first to partner with Riyadh Season to bring high-profile fights to Saudi Arabia, with Hearn quickly following suit.

Since then, Top Rank, Golden Boy, and Boxxer have all aligned with Riyadh Season to host blockbuster fights, including undisputed title bouts between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, as well Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

However, the new league is a separate entity from Riyadh Season, despite both being backed by Sela. This means the sport’s traditional promoters will need to navigate uncharted territory, as the league is expected to introduce a radically different structure — one that may challenge the power and influence they currently enjoy.

Eddie Hearn has been one of the most influential figures in boxing over the last two decades, transforming Matchroom into a global powerhouse, securing record-breaking TV deals, and making household names out of his fighters.

However, recent comments about his long-term future have raised eyebrows, sparking speculation about whether he sees the writing on the wall with the emergence of this new, heavily funded boxing league.

Hearn has already begun making moves behind the scenes. He recently sold a minority stake in Matchroom Sport to UK-based sports marketing agency Pitch, with the Hearn family retaining majority control.

In a recent interview with iFL TV, Hearn said: ‘It’s been well documented, we did a minority investment deal recently. There will be another stage to that and then the stage after that is to look at either a complete sale or float the business.

‘If it was to end, I would want it to end with us. Before my dad (Matchroom founder Barry Hearn) dies, he’s 76 and don’t get me wrong he’s in great spirits mentally and physically, but how long does he have left? It could be tomorrow, it could be five years, it could be 10. But there is an element of me that would quite like it to end with us.’

Perhaps most tellingly, he added: ‘The problem is, the game is never ending. It doesn’t matter what game you’re in, but when does it end? When do you walk away? Overstaying your welcome in any profession, any sport, any industry, is extremely dangerous for many different reasons.

‘There is a lot of stuff I still want to do with my life. There is a lot of stuff I have given up. It takes a lot, I have to give a lot to Matchroom but that’s why I was put on the earth. But there is a life beyond that.’

Warren is no stranger to competition. The Queensberry boss has been a main fixture in British boxing for decades, famously going head-to-head with the ‘boxing cartel’ in the 1990s and outlasting multiple rival promotions. While the new boxing league could pose a challenge, Warren may not be as vulnerable as some might think.

Queensberry Promotions recently secured a multi-year media rights deal with streaming giant DAZN, ensuring that Warren remains a major player in the sport for the foreseeable future.

However, with the Saudi-backed league aiming to centralise boxing and establish a more structured system, Warren, like Hearn, may have to adapt to the changing landscape. Will he and other promoters be given a seat at the table, or will they find themselves on the outside looking in?

What will the new league’s facilities look like? 

Boxers will have access to the UFC Performance Institutes in Las Vegas, Mexico City, and Shanghai, offering world-class training facilities and support.

This access underscores the promotion’s commitment to elevating the sport by providing athletes with the resources they need to excel. 

Where can I watch it?

Zuffa has signed a major deal with Paramount+ in the US, and it is rumoured that a deal with Sky Sports may be on the cards in the UK.

Another intriguing possibility lies in TNT Sports, following Frank Warren’s departure. With TNT Sports now free to partner with other entities, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them involved in the new league, given the vast potential for exposure and revenue.

What are the risks of the new format? 

While the new league promises to revolutionise the sport, it also comes with several risks and potential drawbacks.

One major concern is the centralisation of power under a single league. This could lead to a lack of competition among promoters, which might stifle innovation and reduce the diversity of boxing content available to fans. 

Additionally, with a new structure and ranking system, there is the potential for political maneuvering and conflicts of interest. 

White, for example, wields significant control over matchmaking and fighter contracts at the UFC. A notable instance of this was his refusal to meet Francis Ngannou’s pay demands for a high-profile fight against Jon Jones, yet he appears more willing to offer favourable terms to rising star Tom Aspinall.  

Additionally, White has been vocal about the possibility of putting Conor McGregor into a title fight despite the fact the Irishman has registered just one win in the last six years. 

These examples highlight how, even in a structured system, personal decisions and business interests can influence outcomes, making it clear that the new league could still be subject to similar power dynamics.

The Verdict 

This venture represents not just a fresh chapter for boxing, but a complete reinvention. One where the sport’s future could be more unified, streamlined, and widely accessible than ever before.

And for athletes, particularly those starting out, it could mean greater recognition, better financial opportunities, and a more professionalised system that elevates the sport on a global scale.

The Saudi/TKO boxing league may well be the revolution boxing needs — one that could reshape the industry for years to come.