Saudi/TKO to launch new league for up and coming boxers

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Jimmy2025]

We should not underestimate the significance of this. Boxing has been dead in the States for the best part of 20 years. This could be the start of the revival.

[Old bones Ian]

So a boxer would sign up to exclusively box in this league? No local fights, no titles , no local support.
How long they signed up for? If it's a season fair enough but if they want to sign them to long term deals and then they have to deliver 5-10 fights in developing a boxer over the couple of years.
These rising stars are just that in developing stage, not be rolled out 2-3 times a year as if they are a star.

[Jimmy2025]

So a boxer would sign up to exclusively box in this league? No local fights, no titles , no local support.
How long they signed up for? If it's a season fair enough but if they want to sign them to long term deals and then they have to deliver 5-10 fights in developing a boxer over the couple of years.
These rising stars are just that in developing stage, not be rolled out 2-3 times a year as if they are a star.

This will become the be all and end all of high level pro boxing, or at least that will be the plan. With Turki's money it is likely to succeed. The Saudis are on a different level to anybody who has been involved before. The existing sanctioning bodies and belts will (these lot hope, whatever they may claim at first) be killed off. Weight divisions will likely be reduced too.

Similar to this I would expect:-

"A UFC contract is a legally binding agreement between a fighter and the UFC that outlines the terms of their fights, including their pay per fight, the number of fights they are obliged to do, weight class, potential bonuses, and promotional obligations, with pay tiers typically based on the fighter's experience and popularity, with top stars earning significantly more than newcomers; essentially, the more successful a fighter is, the better their contract terms will be.
Key points about UFC contracts:
Tiered system:
Fighters are usually placed in different pay tiers based on their record and fame, with lower tiers offering smaller payouts for new fighters and higher tiers for established champions.
Base pay:
Fighters receive a base salary for each fight, which is the primary source of income.
Performance bonuses:
Additional bonuses can be earned based on factors like "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night," or "Submission of the Night".
Fight clauses:
Contracts often include clauses specifying the number of fights a fighter is obliged to do within a certain timeframe.
Promotional obligations:
Fighters may have to fulfill promotional duties like media appearances and interviews as part of their contract.
Negotiation process:
The negotiation of UFC contracts can be complex, with fighters and their representatives attempting to secure the best possible terms. "


UFC fighters generally build their support in smaller/feeder promotions (like small hall boxing) before being signed to UFC if they are good enough.

It's sink or swim and there's not much opportunity to hang around for years if you are losing or boring.

[margaret thatcher]

is this kinda like the world series of boxing?

[Jimmy2025]

is this kinda like the world series of boxing?

I don't think so. I think this will be to boxing what the UFC is to MMA, I.e. the pinnacle and what everybody strives for.

[Old bones Ian]

So a boxer would sign up to exclusively box in this league? No local fights, no titles , no local support.
How long they signed up for? If it's a season fair enough but if they want to sign them to long term deals and then they have to deliver 5-10 fights in developing a boxer over the couple of years.
These rising stars are just that in developing stage, not be rolled out 2-3 times a year as if they are a star.

This will become the be all and end all of high level pro boxing, or at least that will be the plan. With Turki's money it is likely to succeed. The Saudis are on a different level to anybody who has been involved before. The existing sanctioning bodies and belts will (these lot hope, whatever they may claim at first) be killed off. Weight divisions will likely be reduced too.

Similar to this I would expect:-

"A UFC contract is a legally binding agreement between a fighter and the UFC that outlines the terms of their fights, including their pay per fight, the number of fights they are obliged to do, weight class, potential bonuses, and promotional obligations, with pay tiers typically based on the fighter's experience and popularity, with top stars earning significantly more than newcomers; essentially, the more successful a fighter is, the better their contract terms will be.
Key points about UFC contracts:
Tiered system:
Fighters are usually placed in different pay tiers based on their record and fame, with lower tiers offering smaller payouts for new fighters and higher tiers for established champions.
Base pay:
Fighters receive a base salary for each fight, which is the primary source of income.
Performance bonuses:
Additional bonuses can be earned based on factors like "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night," or "Submission of the Night".
Fight clauses:
Contracts often include clauses specifying the number of fights a fighter is obliged to do within a certain timeframe.
Promotional obligations:
Fighters may have to fulfill promotional duties like media appearances and interviews as part of their contract.
Negotiation process:
The negotiation of UFC contracts can be complex, with fighters and their representatives attempting to secure the best possible terms. "


UFC fighters generally build their support in smaller/feeder promotions (like small hall boxing) before being signed to UFC if they are good enough.

It's sink or swim and there's not much opportunity to hang around for years if you are losing or boring.

I can't see all those top contenders being allowed to walk away from contracts to sign up for this, it'll have to be those boxers ranked below the top 20 who are free agents with a few former names thrown in

[Jimmy2025]

So a boxer would sign up to exclusively box in this league? No local fights, no titles , no local support.
How long they signed up for? If it's a season fair enough but if they want to sign them to long term deals and then they have to deliver 5-10 fights in developing a boxer over the couple of years.
These rising stars are just that in developing stage, not be rolled out 2-3 times a year as if they are a star.

This will become the be all and end all of high level pro boxing, or at least that will be the plan. With Turki's money it is likely to succeed. The Saudis are on a different level to anybody who has been involved before. The existing sanctioning bodies and belts will (these lot hope, whatever they may claim at first) be killed off. Weight divisions will likely be reduced too.

Similar to this I would expect:-

"A UFC contract is a legally binding agreement between a fighter and the UFC that outlines the terms of their fights, including their pay per fight, the number of fights they are obliged to do, weight class, potential bonuses, and promotional obligations, with pay tiers typically based on the fighter's experience and popularity, with top stars earning significantly more than newcomers; essentially, the more successful a fighter is, the better their contract terms will be.
Key points about UFC contracts:
Tiered system:
Fighters are usually placed in different pay tiers based on their record and fame, with lower tiers offering smaller payouts for new fighters and higher tiers for established champions.
Base pay:
Fighters receive a base salary for each fight, which is the primary source of income.
Performance bonuses:
Additional bonuses can be earned based on factors like "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night," or "Submission of the Night".
Fight clauses:
Contracts often include clauses specifying the number of fights a fighter is obliged to do within a certain timeframe.
Promotional obligations:
Fighters may have to fulfill promotional duties like media appearances and interviews as part of their contract.
Negotiation process:
The negotiation of UFC contracts can be complex, with fighters and their representatives attempting to secure the best possible terms. "


UFC fighters generally build their support in smaller/feeder promotions (like small hall boxing) before being signed to UFC if they are good enough.

It's sink or swim and there's not much opportunity to hang around for years if you are losing or boring.

I can't see all those top contenders being allowed to walk away from contracts to sign up for this, it'll have to be those boxers ranked below the top 20 who are free agents with a few former names thrown in

It won't take more than two or three years to sew things up. It's not like this is some bloke starting from scratch in his bedroom. It's Dana White with full corporate backing plus the money of the people who have literally bought boxing in the last two years.

Their signings will become THE stars. Why wouldn't they if the existing promotional outfits (who have been feeding off Turki) get their food supply removed?

Dana isn't a second place or also ran type of man.

[Old bones Ian]

This will become the be all and end all of high level pro boxing, or at least that will be the plan. With Turki's money it is likely to succeed. The Saudis are on a different level to anybody who has been involved before. The existing sanctioning bodies and belts will (these lot hope, whatever they may claim at first) be killed off. Weight divisions will likely be reduced too.

Similar to this I would expect:-

"A UFC contract is a legally binding agreement between a fighter and the UFC that outlines the terms of their fights, including their pay per fight, the number of fights they are obliged to do, weight class, potential bonuses, and promotional obligations, with pay tiers typically based on the fighter's experience and popularity, with top stars earning significantly more than newcomers; essentially, the more successful a fighter is, the better their contract terms will be.
Key points about UFC contracts:
Tiered system:
Fighters are usually placed in different pay tiers based on their record and fame, with lower tiers offering smaller payouts for new fighters and higher tiers for established champions.
Base pay:
Fighters receive a base salary for each fight, which is the primary source of income.
Performance bonuses:
Additional bonuses can be earned based on factors like "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night," or "Submission of the Night".
Fight clauses:
Contracts often include clauses specifying the number of fights a fighter is obliged to do within a certain timeframe.
Promotional obligations:
Fighters may have to fulfill promotional duties like media appearances and interviews as part of their contract.
Negotiation process:
The negotiation of UFC contracts can be complex, with fighters and their representatives attempting to secure the best possible terms. "


UFC fighters generally build their support in smaller/feeder promotions (like small hall boxing) before being signed to UFC if they are good enough.

It's sink or swim and there's not much opportunity to hang around for years if you are losing or boring.

I can't see all those top contenders being allowed to walk away from contracts to sign up for this, it'll have to be those boxers ranked below the top 20 who are free agents with a few former names thrown in

It won't take more than two or three years to sew things up. It's not like this is some bloke starting from scratch in his bedroom. It's Dana White with full corporate backing plus the money of the people who have literally bought boxing in the last two years.

Their signings will become THE stars. Why wouldn't they if the existing promotional outfits (who have been feeding off Turki) get their food supply removed?

Dana isn't a second place or also ran type of man.

I understand Dana is no mug , and time will tell . But ive seen a few of these "game changer" things over the years and it's not quite worked out.
I think to start with the league will be the supporting bouts to the big title fights , but it's going to have to have an end product in the end which is what? I'm guessing title fights against the champions, who aren't going to be in the league .
I'm interested in how it'll shape up

[Jimmy2025]

Dana wants to bring the UFC model to boxing. He's made no secret of it. He was a boxing fan before he was an MMA fan and believes the boxing market is way bigger but that the sport has been run badly for decades (hence the death of it in America).

Whatever the stated goals now. The actual objective is to take over and run the elite end of the sport (or perceived elite end with the fans).

How many non-UFC MMA fighters do people know? Fedor....? And..... Fedor. That's it.

In a few years, if the Saudis are still keen, there will only be White's / Turki's promotion in the eyes of the fans.

[handsofstone]

The fact that they're gonna be fighting for the Ring title gives it a fair bit of pull, say a few champions win that and vacate their ABC's, might be a slow burner but the thought of no alphabet titles appeals to me

[coneye]

Hopefully it gets rid of my biggest hate in boxing , MISMATCHES , Personaly i'm not gonna cry about Dana coming in and making good fights if it gets rid of the Cambell Hattons , jumping the que , getting hand picked fights and a winning record , based on the promoter thinking he can make a dollar or two , on his dads name .

Look at Conor Benn , horrible little fella , probably going end up a millionaire and retired at 30 , because a promoter wants to make money of his name and he's not even British champ level , handpicked fights , steroid abuse , he's everything wrong with the sport and if King Tut TUT and Dana can stp that shite , good on them

[Ruthless-RKO]

[golden_labrador]

we will lose the sport to this Saudi takeover, he has bought part of Dazn and will soon own it all and it will become a pugilistic cheerleader for a feudal blood regime. It is the death knell of the sport.

I know what you mean, but we're not that much better if we don't ignore the Iraq war, arming Israel to bomb civilians, etc etc. Let's not get started on America either. we're all in the gutter, as that guy once wrote. I'd never go to SA or Dubai in any case and it's messed up what they do there regarding lots of stuff - I don't think any better of that regime for helping boxing, but I have enjoyed the boxing.

[johninmanchester]

Hearn just did an IFL interview where he spent half of it talking about retiring, selling the company or floating it in an IPO.

He also said at another point that if the company was bought, he'd assume he'd be kept around as an advisor.

This to me all points to a man positioning for a max price sale to an interested party.

Maybe this is why he was so chummy with Ben Shambles lately, maybe they're all getting bought out and it's the camaraderie of dead men walking.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Yh I seen the interview too. I bet he got wind of these plans of Turki and thought he’d come out before hand and talk about retirement

[gilgamesh]

Hearn just did an IFL interview where he spent half of it talking about retiring, selling the company or floating it in an IPO.

He also said at another point that if the company was bought, he'd assume he'd be kept around as an advisor.

This to me all points to a man positioning for a max price sale to an interested party.

Maybe this is why he was so chummy with Ben Shambles lately, maybe they're all getting bought out and it's the camaraderie of dead men walking.

Even if he gets bought out I don't doubt he sticks around as an advisor like he assumes. Nobody ever seems to go away in the Boxing business. Fighters do maybe, but Promoters, Trainers, Managers, Referees, Judges. Those guys are there for decades.

[Jimmy2025]

I started a thread a couple of months back that suggested Eddie and FW's days were numbered with Turki when I could see the writing on the wall. If I could see it, I'm sure they could see it. They are pragmatic people who will know that their small family firms will be eaten alive if they try and compete directly with Dana et al.

If there is space for them to pick up crumbs they will but I reckon they'll just walk with a decent payoff.

They'll just sell their contracts.

[gregregegg]

The fight league modal only really works if you have sooo many of the best guys that it’s established that your championship is the real one.

I don’t really see how this will be achievable without over paying (and the entire sucsess on ufcs league system is under paying).

Additionally, even as a boxing fan boxing isn’t as thrilling if you just make a random 50-50, it needs some story and some stylistic intrest (aside from the odd just war), MMA if you make a competitive matchup it’s interesting much more often.

The only way this works is if they are taking BF prospects, over paying (short term) but locking them into murderouse long term contracts that they can’t escape and every renegotiation adds a few years and it’s shit..: another thing ufc does)

This could be a good concept to get people from zero level to brittish level. Mabey. With like attached story and following a few people (halfway between ultiment fighter series and contender series and a boxing tournament ),

[coneye]

Does anyone really believe it will all end up great for boxing , IF they manage to take over the boxing world , IF they get rid of other promoters , and IF they can get rid of all the alphabet organizations , what then ,,,, Well i don't think theres any doubt whatsover , Ring mag ratings will be the bible , and who is in them ratings , and who are the champs , will all depend on one mans say , so if your not in his good books YOUR OUT

[Coco]

UFC fighters don't get their fair cut

[johninmanchester]

The fight league modal only really works if you have sooo many of the best guys that it’s established that your championship is the real one.

I don’t really see how this will be achievable without over paying (and the entire sucsess on ufcs league system is under paying).

The UFC never had Bottomless Oil Money behind it, provided by an I Don't Give A Fucck Saudi Sheikh

Completely different premise. Supreme Turkey can buy it all up.

[TBA]

Hearn just did an IFL interview where he spent half of it talking about retiring, selling the company or floating it in an IPO.

He also said at another point that if the company was bought, he'd assume he'd be kept around as an advisor.

This to me all points to a man positioning for a max price sale to an interested party.

Maybe this is why he was so chummy with Ben Shambles lately, maybe they're all getting bought out and it's the camaraderie of dead men walking.

Hearn will be alright.

That's until the Saudi's buyover the darts that is, and have the crowd screaming 180s over a milk and biryani.

[mickey1975]

WBC belt holders are tweeting tonight how much they love their belts.

[KiwiRider]

Does anyone really believe it will all end up great for boxing , IF they manage to take over the boxing world , IF they get rid of other promoters , and IF they can get rid of all the alphabet organizations , what then ,,,, Well i don't think theres any doubt whatsover , Ring mag ratings will be the bible , and who is in them ratings , and who are the champs , will all depend on one mans say , so if your not in his good books YOUR OUT

Monopolies are never good for the individual. Turki seems to want that and he holds the money to do it. And there is always a motive behind all that money, in his case it will be the agenda of his paymasters not necessarily him.
You will have noticed how deferential Fwank/Eddie/Oscar are to Turki, letting him be front and center. That tells you all you need to know.