Dana White is finally getting into the business of boxing after flirting with the idea for years.
The UFC boss is set to promote a massive fight between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
Soon, his attention will turn to boxing after striking a deal with the sport’s most powerful person, Turki Alalshikh, who Francis Ngannou believes is the only man who can help make a fight between him and Jon Jones.
Rumors about a deal between White and the Saudi boxing chief have been rife recently – now it’s official after the two men took to social media to break the big news on Wednesday.
Dana White announces boxing league
“BOOOOOOM!!!!! Boxing here we come,” White captioned a video he shared on Instagram.
“We’ve just done a deal to start a new boxing league with Turki, who absolutely loves the sport of boxing,” the MMA mogul said.
Turki 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 continued: “The model is proven to deliver the fights that the fans want to see.
“The best will fight the best and the fighters will continue to move up the rankings and become world champions.
“We will continue to make announcements on where you can watch, and all the rest of the details on the business as we get closer to the launch.”
Dana White admires Turki Alalshikh
White has been one of the most vocal critics of the sport of boxing and the people in it for years.
The UFC CEO is locked in bitter feuds with prominent boxing promoters Oscar De La Hoya and Bob Arum.
So, he’s been delighted to see Turki Alalshikh come along and put on massive events without their help.
“I like him. The guy has a vision for a sport that is completely f—– up,” White told The Mac Life last June.
“If you look at what he’s been able to do in a short amount of time, boxing is so broken and so f—– up that it takes a guy with that kind of money and that kind of power to make these things happen. So, I think it’s gonna be fascinating to see what he accomplishes over the next several years.
“You know me, I don’t kiss anybody’s a– for any f—— reasons whatsoever. If I didn’t feel that way or if I didn’t have this feeling about him, I would let you know and I would be all out on it, but I like this guy.
“I respect him. I like what he has already done and I am actually looking forward to seeing what he is gonna do in the future. He is dealing with a s— show of unbelievable proportions, and I like the way he’s handling it.”