Dana White has been itching to get into the business of boxing for years. He may have just found his way in.
Over the last two decades, White turned the Ultimate Fighting Championship from glorified cockfighting into a global juggernaut valued at more than $11 billion. During that time, Dana White and Co. have built themselves a monopoly, buying up promotions and signing the biggest names in the world to compete inside their Octagon.
For years, the UFC CEO has looked for an opportunity to do something similar in the world of boxing.
After dipping his toe into a handful of boxing endeavors, most notably the cross-promotional clash between Irish megastar Conor McGregor and legendary pugilist Floyd Mayweather, White may be ready to dive in head-first
Per a report from Reuters, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is currently in talks with multiple boxing promoters, including Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, and Queensbury Promotions, to combine their assets into one organization valued at a whopping $5 billion. Turki al-Sheikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, is said to be overseeing the final discussions.
Dana White teases potential partnership with Turki al-Sheikh
Speaking with Sports Business Journal, White suggested that he could be involved in the potential merger, though he stopped short of coming right out and saying it.
“Hmm. It’s a possibility,” White told SBJ when asked about partnering with Turki Alalshikh, with whom he is working on a first UFC show in Riyadh. “It’s definitely a possibility… I think he’s the only one who can do it. This guy is making fights no one else can make.”
On Saturday, June 22, White will take the UFC to Saudi Arabia for the first time as the promotion presents a stacked fight night card inside Kingdom Arena. In the main event of the evening, former middleweight world champion Robert Whittaker will square off with short-notice replacement opponent Ikram Aliskerov after Whittaker’s originally scheduled opponent, Khamzat Chimaev, was forced to bow out after becoming “violently ill” during his training camp.
