‘Ruffled feathers’ – Eddie Hearn delivers honest first reaction to Dana White and Turki Alalshikh’s new boxing league
Eddie Hearn isn’t concerned about Dana White and Turki Alalshikh’s new boxing league. TKO Group Holdings, which owns the UFC and WWE, recently agreed a multi-year partnership to establish a boxing promotion with the financial-backing of Saudi Arabia. White and Alalshikh are set to make a big splash in the boxing world this yearGetty UFC president White will lead the venture alongside the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, while WWE president Nick Khan also forms part of the top table. It is unclear how the boxing league would operate and who would compete in it, as most of boxing’s biggest stars are under contract with rival promoters. One such promoter, Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, has been heavily involved in the Saudi boxing boom alongside Alalshikh. However, the latest development means they could be actively competing against one another. Speaking to The Stomping Ground about TKO entering the boxing sphere, Hearn said: “When Turki does his interviews and his announcements, he is very bullish. “Whether you take [what he said] seriously and whether that is his plan, it probably ruffled a few feathers. “My phone has been red hot with people saying ‘We have got to get together’. But I am pretty chilled about it. “I think it is amazing news to be honest with you. If you are comfortable with your business and you believe in your ability, then I think it is brilliant. “Any time someone like Dana White, TKO and Nick Khan want to make a play in boxing, that goes to show you where boxing is at. “The one thing I disagree with His Excellency and Dana White over is that boxing is not broken. Boxing is in the best place it has ever been in. Hearn isn’t threatened by TKO’s move into boxingGetty “Riyadh season and His Excellency have injected that new lease of life, and, of course, a huge amount of money as well to make these big fights happen. “So I don’t think anyone’s gonna fix boxing, but can we improve it? Can we put better structures together? Can we come up with leagues that are gonna work and find one champion and all this kind of stuff? Yeah, I think we should always look to evolve.” When the bombshell announcement was made, White insinuated that TKO are aiming to monopolise boxing like the UFC has in MMA. The MMA mogul hinted at a ranking system similar to the UFC as well as the removal of the four major sanctioning bodies (WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF) who currently govern boxing. Each of the alphabet bodies has its own separate world title and rankings while the UFC has one world champion, minus interim title holders. While Hearn appreciates White’s ambition, he acknowledges that trying to erase the major sanctioning bodies would be short-sighted. Alalshikh and Hearn have worked together on several Saudi billsRiyadh Season “I don’t agree with Dana saying that we don’t need three letters before a belt,” added Hearn. “You have to remember those governing bodies and those belts carry a huge amount of history and legacy, and fighters want those belts… “I don’t really know too much about the format, I read the press release but we’ll see.” Since Saudi Arabia has entered boxing, they have made the fights that everyone wants to see by throwing exorbitant amounts of money at boxers. Naturally, this has inflated the market, but Hearn anticipates that TKO won’t adopt as bold a strategy. “TKO know how to run a business and they like their margins, we have seen that with the UFC, I don’t think they will be looking to pay super inflated purses,” Hearn continued. “I don’t know the substance for that, but for us we are the biggest promotional company in the world. “Hands down I am the best promoter in the world. I have a huge TV contract and contracts with broadcasters around the world, which means I have to put on close to 35 shows a year without Saudi Arabia. “Of course, we have thoroughly enjoyed our business with Saudi Arabia and I expect it to go from strength to strength. “The league looks like it is outside Riyadh Season, Ring Magazine and the WBC Grand Prix. “I’ve loved working with His Excellency, it has been some of the most fun parts of my career, but if it ended tomorrow, which I don’t believe it will, I go back to my 35 shows a year all around the world.” Follow talkBOXING on social media talkBOXING is now on Twitter and Facebook. Follow us on social media for big breaking boxing news, exclusive interviews and the best bits from our talkBOXING YouTube show. Like our Facebook page HERE Follow us on Twitter HERE Sign up for our WhatsApp channel HERE
Eddie Hearn isn’t concerned about Dana White and Turki Alalshikh’s new boxing league.
TKO Group Holdings, which owns the UFC and WWE, recently agreed a multi-year partnership to establish a boxing promotion with the financial-backing of Saudi Arabia.
UFC president White will lead the venture alongside the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, while WWE president Nick Khan also forms part of the top table.
It is unclear how the boxing league would operate and who would compete in it, as most of boxing’s biggest stars are under contract with rival promoters.
One such promoter, Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, has been heavily involved in the Saudi boxing boom alongside Alalshikh.
However, the latest development means they could be actively competing against one another.
Speaking to The Stomping Ground about TKO entering the boxing sphere, Hearn said: “When Turki does his interviews and his announcements, he is very bullish.
“Whether you take [what he said] seriously and whether that is his plan, it probably ruffled a few feathers.
“My phone has been red hot with people saying ‘We have got to get together’. But I am pretty chilled about it.
“I think it is amazing news to be honest with you. If you are comfortable with your business and you believe in your ability, then I think it is brilliant.
“Any time someone like Dana White, TKO and Nick Khan want to make a play in boxing, that goes to show you where boxing is at.
“The one thing I disagree with His Excellency and Dana White over is that boxing is not broken. Boxing is in the best place it has ever been in.
“Riyadh season and His Excellency have injected that new lease of life, and, of course, a huge amount of money as well to make these big fights happen.
“So I don’t think anyone’s gonna fix boxing, but can we improve it? Can we put better structures together? Can we come up with leagues that are gonna work and find one champion and all this kind of stuff? Yeah, I think we should always look to evolve.”
When the bombshell announcement was made, White insinuated that TKO are aiming to monopolise boxing like the UFC has in MMA.
The MMA mogul hinted at a ranking system similar to the UFC as well as the removal of the four major sanctioning bodies (WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF) who currently govern boxing.
Each of the alphabet bodies has its own separate world title and rankings while the UFC has one world champion, minus interim title holders.
While Hearn appreciates White’s ambition, he acknowledges that trying to erase the major sanctioning bodies would be short-sighted.
“I don’t agree with Dana saying that we don’t need three letters before a belt,” added Hearn.
“You have to remember those governing bodies and those belts carry a huge amount of history and legacy, and fighters want those belts…
“I don’t really know too much about the format, I read the press release but we’ll see.”
Since Saudi Arabia has entered boxing, they have made the fights that everyone wants to see by throwing exorbitant amounts of money at boxers.
Naturally, this has inflated the market, but Hearn anticipates that TKO won’t adopt as bold a strategy.
“TKO know how to run a business and they like their margins, we have seen that with the UFC, I don’t think they will be looking to pay super inflated purses,” Hearn continued.
“I don’t know the substance for that, but for us we are the biggest promotional company in the world.
“Hands down I am the best promoter in the world. I have a huge TV contract and contracts with broadcasters around the world, which means I have to put on close to 35 shows a year without Saudi Arabia.
“Of course, we have thoroughly enjoyed our business with Saudi Arabia and I expect it to go from strength to strength.
“The league looks like it is outside Riyadh Season, Ring Magazine and the WBC Grand Prix.
“I’ve loved working with His Excellency, it has been some of the most fun parts of my career, but if it ended tomorrow, which I don’t believe it will, I go back to my 35 shows a year all around the world.”
