Dana White thinks he can fix boxing.
The man who turned the sport of mixed martial arts into an industry worth billions as CEO and president of the UFC is using boxing’s “fight of the year” to launch his new promotion company.
You’ll likely see White featured throughout the Canelo Alvarez (63-2-2) vs. Terence Crawford (41-0) fight, streaming worldwide on Netflix Saturday night.
Dana White Wants To Hit the Ground Running in the New Year
For years, White argued that boxing was broken and often claimed he would step in to rescue the sport, only to retreat after concluding it was “too broken” to fix. Now, however, his renewed interest — fueled by his partnership with Turki Alalshikh — has White fully committed to pushing ahead with Zuffa Boxing.
White promises an all-out push next year, launching his own boxing version of the “Contender Series,” a reality competition show surrounding the UFC, to act as a feeder system for Alalshikh’s larger boxing promotion.
“Basically, in 2026, I’m going to start my show, and what I’m going to do is basically like ‘Contender Series,'” White told Vegas PBS earlier this week. “The best will fight the best, undefeated guys will fight undefeated guys, and what you will do is you will care about the first fight of the night, and not just the main event. So I will build stars, put on great fights, and then these guys will graduate and fight with Sheik Turki.”
For White, the ultimate aim is to transform boxing into a unified combat sports league, much like the UFC, with a clearer ranking system and fairer title opportunities.
What we did with the UFC is turn the UFC into an NFL, an NBA,” White said. “There’s a league, you reinvest into the sport, and other people want to invest in the sport, whether it’s sponsors or any of these financial firms, whatever it may be. That’s what needs to be done with boxing, too, and that’s what I’m going to attempt to do.
“Listen, there’s no ego or arrogance when I talk about getting into boxing and trying to ‘fix it.’ This is a busted sport.”
But White may be restricted in what he can do because of the U.S. Congress, which ultimately regulates the sport and its business practices. White, a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, will need support to change the laws.
Turki Alalshikh, Dana White’s Partner, Oversees Saudi Arabia’s Sports Takeover
GettyLAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 11: (L-R) Canelo Álvarez, H.E. Turki Alalshikh, Dana White and Terence Crawford pose onstage during Netflix’s Canelo vs Crawford press conference at T-Mobile Arena on September 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for Netflix)
Another face that has become familiar at fights is the man White is jumping into business with, Alalshikh.
Alalshikh is a Saudi Arabian sports promoter and royal adviser. The Middle Eastern nation has been more strongly entering the U.S. market in recent years, especially in boxing and golf. But as ESPN reports, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been using sports and high-profile athletes to launder its global image for decades.
Less than two months after joking about signing a one-year deal in Saudi Arabia, LeBron James was spotted in Riyadh in September 2023, where he met with a member of the Saudi royal family and government officials.
A number of human rights organizations are critical of the nation’s rulers for a concerning track record of repressing dissent.
Most notably, in 2018, journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed and dismembered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, by people with close ties to senior Saudi officials and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to the U.S. government. Khashoggi, who wrote for the Washington Post, was often critical of the monarchy.
As Saudi Arabia’s General Minister for Entertainment, Alalshikh and the General Entertainment Authority have been tasked with developing, promoting, and expanding tourism and entertainment across the Kingdom. Alalshikh has played a pivotal role in bringing major boxing events to Saudi Arabia.
A close adviser to the Saudi Royal Court, he was instrumental in organizing Saturday’s fight, which is part of Riyadh Season — a series of high-profile events hosted and funded by the Kingdom.
Alalshikh’s profile in the sporting world grew earlier this year when he shared a striking photo alongside a host of legendary figures, including Mike Tyson, Manny Pacquiao, Conor McGregor, Amir Khan, Lennox Lewis, Ricky Hatton, Evander Holyfield, Oscar De La Hoya, and Frank Bruno.
What Is Dana White’s Role in the Canelo vs. Crawford Boxing Match on Netflix?