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Tag: Nick Khan

  • Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford Named First TKO Boxing Event, Dana White To Promote

    Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford Named First TKO Boxing Event, Dana White To Promote

    The announcements about Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford continue to pour out, and another one has been made by Turki Alalshikh hours after the fight was officially confirmed.

    The Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia has announced that Canelo vs. Crawford — which will take place on September 12 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas — will be the first TKO boxing event.

    In the announcement on social media, Alalshikh adds that the fight will be promoted by none other than UFC CEO Dana White.

    Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford To Be Held Under TKO Banner, Promoted By Dana White

    This follows the official formation of the yet-to-be-officially-named boxing league in March. The boxing promotion will be headed up by Alalshikh and White, as well as Nick Khan — CEO of the WWE. The UFC and WWE both fall under the TKO conglomerate after a merger featuring the two brands in 2023.

    While White had briefly teased a leap into boxing with the Zuffa Boxing brand during the 2010s — namely around the time of the Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor event — that idea came and went. But White had teased testing the boxing waters once again in recent years.

    The date of the Canelo vs. Crawford fight is one day prior to the Noche UFC 3 card — also known as UFC 320 — which is currently scheduled for September 13 in Guadalajara, Mexico.

    The TKO boxing league, in its initial announcement, teased details that included boxers having access to the UFC’s Performance Institute locations and TKO’s production team handling broadcast and promotion matters for both in-arena experiences and globally. TKO also promoted a structured system of talent development.

  • Turki Alalshikh, TKO Partner For New Boxing Promotion Led By UFC’s Dana White

    Turki Alalshikh, TKO Partner For New Boxing Promotion Led By UFC’s Dana White

    Turki Alalshikh and TKO Group Holdings have announced a multi-year partnership that will see the creation of a brand new boxing promotion, the executive leadership of which will be jointly led by UFC CEO Dana White and WWE President Nick Khan.

    White has picked up talk of venturing back into the boxing realm in recent years, and the start of 2025 saw reports of the UFC chief being in advanced talks with Alalshikh — Saudi Arabia’s Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority — over a potential new league.

    That’s proved to be true, with the official partnership to establish a new promotion being announced Wednesday in a press release.

    The deal sees Alalshikh, TKO — founded by Endeavor as part of a merger between WWE and Zuffa LLC, the parent company of UFC — and entertainment conglomerate Sela come together in pursuit of providing the new “premier” platform in the sport of boxing.

    “This landmark partnership between industry powerhouses sets the stage for an unparalleled experience for boxers and fans,” Alalshikh said. “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.”

    The release outlined that TKO will serve as managing partner, providing day-to-day operational expertise, management, and oversight of the new boxing promotion.

    Meanwhile, Sela is credited for delivering international events such as Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov in Los Angeles and Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois in London, as well as being the lead sponsor for Newcastle United Football Club.

    Though further details will emerge in the coming weeks and months, the recent announcement did reveal some of the major components of the deal.

    • A highly structured system to develop new talent from around the world, including athlete combines and academies.
    • Access for all boxers to the UFC Performance Institute, the world’s leading combat sports performance training, research, rehabilitation, and nutrition center.
    • TKO’s production, media, and promotional expertise, to deliver both in-arena experiences and top-tier, state-of-the-art broadcasts to fans around the world.