Dana White has been hoping to get into the boxing business for years, and he may finally have found his way.
Over the past two decades, White has transformed the Ultimate Fighting Championship from mere glamorous cockfighting into a global powerhouse worth more than $11 billion, during which time Dana White and co. have built a monopoly, buying up promotions and signing some of the biggest fighters in the world to compete in the Octagon.
The UFC CEO has been looking for an opportunity to do something similar in the world of boxing for years.
After dipping his toes into several boxing endeavors, including a cross-promotional showdown between Irish megastar Conor McGregor and legendary boxer Floyd Mayweather, Whyte may be ready to dive in headfirst.
According to a Reuters report, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is currently in talks with several boxing promoters, including Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions and Queensberry Promotions, to combine their assets into one entity worth $5 billion. Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Saudi Arabian General Entertainment Authority, is said to be overseeing the final talks.
Dana White hints at possible partnership with Turki Al Sheikh
White hinted to Sports Business Journal that he would be involved in a potential merger but declined to state anything definitive.
“Hmm, it's a possibility,” White told SBJ when asked about teaming up with Turki Al-Al-Shik to produce the first UFC show in Riyadh. “It's definitely a possibility… I think he's the only one who can do it. This guy is trying to make fights that nobody else can make.”
On Saturday, June 22, Whyte will bring UFC to Saudi Arabia for the first time. The promotion will present a packed Fight Night card at the Kingdom Arena. The main event of the night will see former middleweight world champion Robert Whittaker take on last-minute replacement Ikram Aliskerov. Whittaker's original opponent, Khamzat Chimaev, was forced to withdraw after suffering a “serious illness” during training camp.
