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Zuffa Boxing

Zuffa Boxing is a professional boxing promotion company founded by CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Dana White, and Chairman of the Saudi Arabian General Entertainment Authority (GEA), Turki Al-Sheikh. The company is a joint venture between Sela and TKO Group Holdings (TKO), and is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.[3]

The promotion had its inaugural event, a fight between Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford, on September 13, 2025, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada.[4]

History

In August 2017, following the high-profile boxing match between MMA fighter Conor McGregor and boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., Dana White announced his intention to enter the world of professional boxing under the "Zuffa Boxing" brand.[5] White suggested that the existing boxing promotion landscape was "broken" and needed a centralized, promoter-driven model similar to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), of which White was then president. Despite media attention and the sale of branded merchandise, Zuffa Boxing's launch was repeatedly delayed.[6][7]

On June 18, 2025, Dana White officially announced that the UFC's parent company TKO Group Holdings (TKO) would enter the boxing industry under the Zuffa Boxing name, reviving the brand White had originally teased in 2017. The announcement was made public through an interview with Sports Business Journal in which White reiterated that Zuffa Boxing aimed to apply the UFC's promotional model to professional boxing.[8] The branding of TKO's boxing venture as "Zuffa Boxing" was confirmed by additional outlets the following day.[9][10]

Shortly after the announcement, it was revealed that TKO would be the lead promoter of the super middleweight fight between Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford, scheduled for September 13, 2025, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. The bout, which was streamed globally via Netflix, was organized in partnership with Saudi entertainment company Sela with the backing of Turki Al-Sheikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia. On June 23, 2025, The Ring Magazine formally announced that the Canelo vs. Crawford fight would serve as the inaugural event under the Zuffa Boxing banner.[11][4] On September 29, 2025, it was announced that Zuffa Boxing had signed a media rights agreement with Paramount Skydance for their events to air on the Paramount+ streaming service with selected events to be simulcast on CBS.[12]

Zuffa Boxing's first event under the Paramount Skydance partnership, Zuffa Boxing 01, took place on January 23, 2026 at the Meta Apex in the Las Vegas Valley, a day prior to UFC 324.[13] On February 26, it was announced by TKO president Mark Shapiro that Zuffa Boxing will promote the heavyweight match between Tyson Fury and Arslanbek Makhmudov, which Netflix will broadcast on April 11, 2026.[14]

List of events

See also

  • 2026 in Zuffa Boxing
  • List of Zuffa Boxing world champions

External links

References

  1. STATE OF NEVADA ATHLETIC COMMISSION NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA^
  2. Thomas Hauser. Zuffa Boxing says it will save the sport – but the fine print shows that fighters may pay the price The Guardian, 2026-01-28, retrieved 2026-01-28^
  3. Mike Johnston. Dana White, Turki Alalshikh announce new TKO Group boxing organization Sportsnet.ca, 2025-03-05, retrieved 2025-08-07^
  4. CANELO ÁLVAREZ TO FACE TERENCE CRAWFORD IN BLOCKBUSTER RIYADH SEASON SHOWDOWN SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 IN LAS VEGAS, STREAMING LIVE GLOBALLY ON NETFLIX UFC, retrieved 2025-08-07^
  5. UFC prez White seeks boxing promoter license ESPN.com, 2017-11-08, retrieved 2025-08-07^
  6. Ryan Harkness. Dana White: The UFC Is ‘100% Getting Into Boxing’ MMAmania.com, 2017-11-08, retrieved 2025-08-07^
  7. Michael Woods. Dana White talks Zuffa potentially buying PBC, boxing’s ‘broken model’ Bad Left Hook, 2019-10-05, retrieved 2025-08-07^
  8. Callum Walsh Ready To Cash In His Ticket, Become Face Of Zuffa Boxing RingMagazine.com, 2025-06-20, retrieved 2025-08-07^
  9. Adam Stern. Dana White: TKO’s new boxing venture to be named Zuffa Boxing Sports Business Journal, 2025-08-07, retrieved 2025-08-07^
  10. Robert LaMar. Zuffa Boxing Is Born Dice City Sports, 2025-06-20, retrieved 2025-08-07^
  11. Damon Martin. TKO Boxing approved for promoter’s license in Nevada, Canelo vs. Crawford official for Sept. 13 MMA Fighting, 2025-07-23, retrieved 2025-08-07^
  12. Paramount Announces Landmark Media Rights Deal With Zuffa Boxing Ultimate Fighting Championship, September 29, 2025, retrieved September 29, 2025^
  13. Zuffa Boxing first show planned for January 23 on Paramount+ www.boxingscene.com, retrieved 2025-12-11^
  14. Alan Dawson. Zuffa to Promote Fury vs Makhmudov as White's War With Traditional Boxing Promoters Escalates Boxing Social, 2026-02-26, retrieved 2026-03-01^
  15. Themistode, Hans. Canelo-Crawford Undercard Will Take Place Over 2-3 Days, Says Turki Alalshikh Ring Magazine, July 17, 2025, retrieved September 7, 2025^
  16. Iskenderov, Parviz. Canelo vs Crawford: Five fights set for Public Workout Fight Mag, September 6, 2025, retrieved September 7, 2025^
  17. Stumberg, Patrick. Anthony Olascuaga vs Juan Carlos Camacho planned for September Bad Left Hook, August 18, 2025, retrieved September 7, 2025^
  18. Manouk Akopyan. Jose Valenzuela vs. Diego Torres headlines Zuffa Boxing 2 on Feb. 1 The Ring, January 22, 2026^
  19. Zuffa Boxing 03: Ajagba vs Martin - FIGHTMAG FIGHTMAG, 5 February 2026^
  20. Opetaia vs Glanton confirmed for first Zuffa title in March FIGHTMAG, 11 February 2026^
  21. Zuffa Boxing 05 odds, analysis: Lightweight showdown tops April 5 showcase in Las Vegas CBS Sports, April 3, 2026, retrieved April 4, 2026^
  22. Benn to fight Prograis on Fury undercard BBC, 26 February 2026^
  23. Shane Mosley Jnr vs. Serhii Bohachuk headlines Zuffa Boxing 06 on May 10 Boxing Scene, 6 April 2026, retrieved 8 April 2026^