The new TKO Boxing from Turki Alalshkih and Dana White is thought to have been the biggest thing to come to the sport in decades.
In terms of the sheer size of the players, companies and different countries involved, in many different parts of the world.
It is not completely clear yet on how it exactly will work and some false information has been suggested not only on social media, but also on some media platforms and podcasts.
Unless it comes from TKO or Turki Alalshikh, it may not be true — as for now it is still kind of under wraps.
One stallworth long time promoter in the sport, Lou DiBella, knows boxing as well as anyone and has been involved in the sport through the ups and downs and has always stayed successful in the end, so he knows what he’s talking about.
Speaking to leading MMA broadcaster Ariel Helwani DiBella spoke on the new TKO Boxing venture by Turki Alalshikh and UFC boss Dana White:
“Here’s another way they’re operating intelligently: people keep talking about a league—it’s not a league. It’s a promotion, but not in the boxing sense with every man for himself, no one caring about the future of the sport, no reinvestment, no long-term game plan. If they want this to work, they don’t have to be concerned with putting other people out—they can’t shut down the WBC, WBA, IBF, or WBO overnight. Eddie’s (Hearn) a talented guy—he’ll find some secondary place. What makes me think Eddie might retire—and on a human level, I get this—is that in my mind and heart, I’ve been disengaging from the sport for a while. Eddie doesn’t want to play second, third, or fourth fiddle. When Eddie came to America with DAZN money, he was going to create a UFC. He said, “I’m going to use my giant budget.” Well, he went back to England. As much success and money as he’s made, he went back with his tail between his legs.”
He later added:
“When Eddie came over here, he was thinking, “All that DAZN money will allow me to be the guy who creates something like UFC.” You heard that same rhetoric when they had the initial press conference for PBC—not from Al Haymon, because Al doesn’t talk, but from the pundits. They thought they could create something. Everyone who’s ever had a relationship with the next person with money in boxing has thought, “I’m going to be the next UFC.” Well, you can’t be the next UFC when there are five other major promoters, four ratings organizations, too many weight classes, multiple champions per weight class—not only a champion, but an interim champion, a super champion, a gold champion. Everyone’s got a belt. When everyone has a belt, no one has a belt. So why will these guys be different? Why will they have success when the others didn’t? Because they’re going to ignore the existing system. The system of ratings organizations needed to be torn down a long time ago. One reason I’m not a bigger promotional company over the years is that I’ve never been best friends with those organizations—I’ve been critical of them since I was a television executive. How do you have four organizations, too many weight classes, multiple champions per weight class, and ratings that completely differ? Most world champions of the major ratings organizations can walk down a street in Times Square or Piccadilly Circus, and no one knows who they are—that’s a fact.”
He goes through a lot of important things above, without doubt.
He also later pointed out that Turki Alalshikh or at least his group own ten per cent of the DAZN Group too.
Think about that, the potential to bring the distribution to this is big — as well considering the UFC’s deal with ESPN and White being the boss of UFC.
Although TKO doesn’t have a distribution deal at the moment, who knows, there are many possibilities.
Boxing is the wild, wild west though and always has been and DiBella is right, in that anyone who’s thought they can be a UFC of boxing whether the PBC in the beginning (according to DiBella), Hearn with the DAZN money in America initially, and so on.
This is different though.
The combination of people and countries involved here is more strategic and this isn’t just either America or Saudi Arabia either.
Many other countries in the East and West too.
It is still very early days but this will happen fast when it does shortly in 2025 and then furthermore in 2026 as well.
This is the biggest thing to happen boxing for decades without doubt.
Look at all the great fights we have seen in the last year or so which would not have happened with Turki Alalshikh and others.
The future is even brighter — much brighter — the immediate future too — success is what’s ahead for professional boxing and better fights will be made.
More regularly than ever.
