Dana White makes promise to boxing fans as Saudi | Sports News

Dana White announced a partnership with Turki Alalshikh to form a boxing promotion in the near future, it was announced Wednesday.

The UFC boss has criticized boxing in the past, stating that the sport had lost the luster it once had as it continued to grow and change over the years. At one point, White declared that he “hates” Top Rank CEO Bob Arum while also putting down the sport as it compares to MMA.

Now, White seemingly has changed his tune with his latest partnership with Alalshikh. In a statement released Wednesday, TKO Group Holdings, the group that owns both the UFC and WWE, explained what to expect from the multi-year boxing partnership.

“This landmark partnership between industry powerhouses sets the stage for an unparalleled experience for boxers and fans,” Alalshikh said in the statement. “Together, we are developing the next generation of talent and delivering world-class events at a time when the sport is primed for further disruption.”

In a video posted to White’s Instagram page, Alalshikh added: “I am very happy today. I give the flag of boxing to the best man who can handle it. We have a tough job now, but I am sure he will be delivering to the people and the fans a magnificent league and get boxing great again.”

White also said that the new promotion will provide fans with fights they “want to see.”

“The best will fight the best, and the fighters will continue to move up the rankings and become world champions,” he promised in the video.

“We will continue to make announcements on where you can watch and all the rest of the details of the business as we get closer to the launch. I’ll see you soon.” The new promotion will work hand-in-hand to ensure its boxers have the resources available to them to compete at the highest level.

There reportedly will be a “highly structured system to develop new talent from around the world, including athlete combines and academies.” Additionally, it was stated that boxers will have access to the UFC Performance Institute for training, “research, rehabilitation, and nutrition center, featuring locations in Las Vegas, Mexico City, and Shanghai.”

The 55-year-old also explained how he has been a fan of boxing even if he might criticize how the sport is nowadays. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without boxing. The sport of boxing is where I started,” he shared.

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“I felt like it was something that could never be fixed until [Turki Alalshikh] showed up. He has done more for boxing than any promoter in the history of the sport combined. He has invested more money, more energy and more passion into the sport than literally ever.

“Everybody knows the format. The best fight the best. You work your way up the rankings and once somebody breaks into the top five, there’s no question who the top five guys are in each weight class and they fight it out. And once somebody holds that belt, you don’t need three letters in front of that belt. Whoever has the belt is the best in the world in that weight class.”

For now, it remains to be seen what the promotion will look like, though White gave an idea on what fans can expect moving forward.

“The run of show will run faster. It’s not going to take nine hours to see four fights,” he said during an appearance on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ [h/t CBS Sports]. “These guys put on a fight and then have a podcast and put on another fight and have a podcast. The show is going to run like the UFC does with fight after fight after fight.”