“Today marks a new chapter in boxing history,” declared His Excellency Turki Alalshikh in an Instagram post yesterday. Accompanying the captions were the images of Alalshikh and Dana White shaking hands after having signed into existence a brand new boxing promotion. For those who may not know, on Wednesday, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh made some big waves by teaming up with TKO Group Holdings for a multi-year partnership to launch a new boxing promotion to be led by the UFC CEO. The deal, which involves Alalshikh, Sela, and TKO, is all about shaping a sustainable future for boxing and cementing Sela’s position as a major player in global sports and entertainment. Sounds like a power move, right?

But that’s not all. This new promotion plans to put a big focus on developing new talent from across the globe. They’ll also offer fighters access to the UFC Performance Institute, which means top-tier training, research, rehab, and nutrition. And get this: there will be training centers in places like Las Vegas, Mexico City, and Shanghai. Plus, TKO’s media and production expertise promises to deliver top-notch experiences and broadcasts for fans worldwide. But here’s the thing—if you take a step back, it almost feels like the Saudi Royal is quietly taking control of the boxing world. “Promoters are damn near irrelevant now, they are all basically Turki fighters now,” one user commented on X.

Is a takeover in order with the new Dana White led boxing league?

A few hours ago, DAZN commentator Ade Oladipo, on the Ariel Helwani show, raised some intriguing questions regarding the Riyadh Season figurehead’s recent announcement. Oladipo was particularly taken aback by Alalshikh’s bold statement, “We’re going to crush all the other promotions,” and wanted to understand the meaning behind it.

He wondered if this was similar to what “PBC tried to do where they tried to create a PBC belt and they tried to sign every single fighter,” thereby establishing themselves as a monopoly within boxing. Oladipo, seemingly concerned and curious, asked, “Does this mean that he’s going to literally take over the sport of boxing?” 

He questioned whether top-tier fighters like Shakur Stevenson, who had one fight left with Matchroom, would consider jumping ship and signing with TKO Promotions. Given that many fighters today work on fight-by-fight contracts instead of long-term deals, Oladipo speculated that there could be a rush of talent joining TKO. This could shake up the status quo, raising concerns for established promoters like Eddie Hearn of Matchroom and Frank Warren of Queensbury Promotions, Bob Arum of Top Rank, and Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions, all of whom have worked with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh for years now. What is their future if the intention is to create a monopoly within boxing that threatens the existence of other boxing promoters who might now have to decide whether to resist TKO’s growing power or find a way to cooperate with the new force in boxing?

Oladipo’s conversation reflected the uncertainty that TKO Promotion’s partnership with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh could bring to the boxing landscape. Add to that hard-handed approach of someone like Dana White, and things do look concerning. As a result, fans, too, were concerned with the arrival of the new entity, as was evident from their comments on the post.

Speculations rife among netizens after Oladipo’s comments

One user shared their frustration, saying, “There’s no loyalty in boxing… Promoters, fighters and managers are all expendable.” This person clearly feels that boxing has lost its integrity, with politics and backdoor deals now overshadowing fair competition. With the introduction of cross-promotion and shifting allegiances, boxing risks losing its authenticity.

Another user chimed in, saying, “They do whatever Turki tells them to do. He’s running boxing.” It’s clear that some fans feel that Alalshikh’s influence is growing stronger, and they feel that promoters may just get relegated to smaller roles behind the influence of the Saudi Royal.

A fighter took it a step further, commenting along similar lines: “Sold their souls for all the money. Taught Turki how it’s done. He doesn’t need them now 😂.” This echoes Gervonta Davis’ sentiment before his fight with Lamont Roach Jr. on March 1st. When asked about fighting on a Riyadh Season card, Davis made it clear he wouldn’t—he thought the deals seemed “shady“. Plus, when Turki Alalshikh intervened mid-fight to tell Hamzah Sheeraz on the February 22 fight card that he was lower on the scorecards, Davis contended that His Excellency is not someone who plays fair.

Another user pointed out, “I mean Eddie mentioned retiring soon today, so he knows the writing is on the wall. He’s probably going to take a payday from Turki to get everyone on board.” They’re referring to Eddie Hearn’s comment about potentially retiring soon, as he turns 46 this year. However, all of this is still a matter of speculation, as what the new entity could end up becoming is still very unclear.

Regardless, the next user had had enough of the nonsense and suggested, “Can’t these promoters just work together and get these cards done themselves?” It seems like the user is fed up with the drama and just wants to see the sport get back to its former glory.

With that said, do you think His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s growing influence in boxing will ultimately reshape the sport, or is it just a passing phase? With the rise of TKO Promotions, should established promoters like Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren cooperate or resist the changing landscape?