“Right now it’s sort of a blank canvas; they’re figuring it out,” said Mario Lopez in the latest episode of ‘3 Knockdown Rule.‘ And he should know. It seems Lopez personally discussed the matter with Dana White at UFC 313 in Paradise, Nevada. Their conversation revolved around White’s ambitious new venture – a boxing league. The rumors had been swirling since last year. Talks between TKO Holdings (which owns the UFC and WWE) and Turki Alalshikh‘s Riyadh Season worked to shape a new boxing league.

After months of negotiations, the deal has finally materialized. However, many details remain scarce. Fans and industry insiders continue to speculate about the league’s structure and impact. The biggest question looming over the new organization is its relationship with boxing’s traditional power structures – promoters, sanctioning bodies, belts, and weight divisions. Will this new entity absorb legacy stakeholders or push them aside to establish a new order? As Mario Lopez put it, “It all sort of remains to be seen, I think, in these next couple of weeks.” Based on recent discussions and interviews, clues have started to emerge about how TKO Boxing might function.

Unified Championship Structure

One of the most significant shifts in this new league is its approach to championship titles. Unlike traditional boxing, which follows a fragmented championship system under the WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF, TKO Boxing plans to introduce a unified structure. Fighters typically must rise through a complicated web of rankings across multiple organizations, often leading to multiple champions per weight class and prolonged unification processes. The problem is exacerbated by boxing’s 17 weight divisions, leading to a diluted talent pool and fewer marquee matchups.

Dana White has made his stance clear. Unlike the traditional sanctioning bodies such as the WBC, WBA, IBF, or WBO, the league could possibly adopt a more streamlined model, similar to the UFC’s structure, with eight men’s divisions and four women’s divisions – one champion per class.

In a separate interview with ESPN, White elaborated, “It’s all going to go away. There’s going to be one belt. … It’ll be like the UFC. The model is the model that we have [in UFC]. … WBC, IBF, WBA, etc., etc. They will deal with those traditional promoters that are out there that exist right now. We’re not going to do that. We’re going to have the basic weight classes that started everything. We will have one champion.”

Reduced Number of Weight Classes

Speaking with Dan Rafael on ‘Fight Freaks Unite,‘ the UFC president said, “I’m not working with them, okay? And doing less weight classes, you know, not three f**king weight classes in one weight class.” Modern boxing’s numerous weight classes have their roots in the sport’s early days, when weight-matching was essential for fairness.

Initially, there were only a handful of divisions: heavyweight, middleweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight, and flyweight. The 20th century saw the addition of light heavyweight, junior lightweight, and junior welterweight. More subdivisions, such as super middleweight, cruiserweight, and minimum weight, emerged in the following decades.

While these divisions were created to ensure competitive balance, they also contributed to a lack of compelling matchups. With fighters spread across so many divisions, elite competitors often avoid each other by moving up or down in weight or remaining within the confines of a single sanctioning body.

The ‘tweener’ problem’ – where divisions are too closely spaced, diluting competition – is another concern. Some boxing divisions, such as super middleweight (168 lbs.) and light heavyweight (175 lbs.), often lack depth. A reduced number of weight classes would consolidate talent and make each division more competitive.

In contrast, the UFC’s more streamlined structure ensures that top contenders regularly face off, resulting in consistent high-level matchups. Another key issue is fighter activity. UFC champions typically compete two to three times a year. Boxing’s top fighters, on the other hand, often fight only once or twice annually. A more centralized approach in TKO Boxing could lead to increased activity. It may create more opportunities for fighters and keep fans engaged.

Centralized Organizational Model

Unlike traditional boxing, where promoters such as Top Rank, PBC, and Matchroom independently negotiate fights, TKO Boxing is expected to adopt a centralized structure. Similar to the UFC model, fighters would be signed directly to the promotion, allowing for faster, more efficient matchmaking without the political roadblocks that plague boxing.

Currently, champions in boxing can go long stretches without defending their titles due to promotional disputes and mandatory obligations from different sanctioning bodies. Under the UFC model, Dana White controls matchmaking, ensuring that champions defend their belts regularly and that the best fights happen on schedule.

TKO Boxing will likely operate on a contract system similar to UFC, ensuring that fighters compete more frequently. Potentially three to four fights per year instead of the usual one or two in traditional boxing.

Another advantage of this model is event consistency. The UFC maintains a structured schedule with regular Fight Night events, ESPN+ broadcasts, and pay-per-view cards. TKO Boxing could implement a similar format. Consistent fight nights leading up to major PPV events with clear stakes may provide fans with a more organized and engaging experience.

Significant Financial Backing

With His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and Saudi Arabia’s vast financial resources, TKO Boxing has the means to attract top talent away from traditional promoters. By offering lucrative guaranteed purses, the league could entice elite fighters into exclusive contracts, potentially forcing the old boxing guard to adapt or risk losing its biggest stars.

Mario Lopez said, “I think the resources here are deep and vast, so while there may be a little division, I think inevitably if they continue to open up their wallets, who’s not going to want to go over there? I mean, we are in prize fighting, and if they have the biggest prizes, who, why wouldn’t the best talent inevitably eventually go there?”

Collaborative Leadership

Dana White and Turki Alalshikh recognize and respect each other’s contributions to the venture. Speaking about Dana White, Turki Alalshikh reportedly said, “He knows how to build models from scratch.” TKO Boxing represents a partnership between two influential figures: White, who transformed the UFC into a $12 billion powerhouse, and Alalshikh, whose financial and promotional acumen could accelerate the league’s growth. Their shared vision is to modernize boxing and create a system where major fights happen regularly. Top contenders will face off consistently, and the sport will regain mainstream appeal.

However, the venture is not without its challenges. Traditional boxing stakeholders may resist the new league, arguing that multiple belts create more opportunities and larger paydays for fighters. Additionally, some believe that weight differences matter more in boxing than in MMA, where grappling mitigates size advantages. A reduction in weight classes could be seen as unfair to fighters accustomed to smaller divisions.

Moreover, if major stars refuse to sign with TKO Boxing, the league could struggle to gain legitimacy. Critics have also pointed to the UFC’s history of underpaying fighters – raising concerns about whether boxers in the new league will receive fair compensation.

Ultimately, fans will have to wait and see how TKO Boxing unfolds. Will it revolutionize the sport or face insurmountable resistance? Only time will tell.

What do you think? How will TKO Boxing shape the future of the sport?