“The TKO Boxing League, which hasn’t been formally announced yet, is expected to debut this fall.” Earlier in February 2025, Mike Coppinger revealed that Top Rank CEO Bob Arum and WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman discussed the new boxing company entering the realm of the squared rings. But instead of welcoming the TKO Boxing, the duo sent a subtle warning to Dana White and Sheikh Turki Alalshikh. According to the 93-year-old boxing promoter, the UFC head honcho was in quite a bit of trouble. This time, it was linked to the difference in the purses set for UFC and TKO Boxing. 

On March 30, 2025, Arum had a brief interaction with Fight Hub TV. Therein, the combat sports journalist asked about the situation Arum had with White. Well, in short, he voiced the people who wanted to know if Arum would ever work with TKO Boxing to make fights. He also pointed out that White openly declared that he wasn’t willing to work with anyone. But Arum went on to spout some fire. He said, “They have a real problem because their big business is UFC. And when the UFC kids see how little they get as against what boxers get, and if it comes from the same company, Dana has his hands full.” 

No doubt, Dana White and Co. have often faced heat because of the kind of money they pay their fighters. But did Arum get to see the purses set for the fighters that Sheikh Turki Alalshikh and White were going to sign? It seemed like he did. Unfortunately, he wasn’t a fan of it all. The Top Rank CEO claimed, “Yeah, and you know, they are not exorbitant fight purses. But they are so much more than the UFC people get. And how do you think they’ll feel?” According to sources, unranked fighters going to a 10-round bout would receive $20K for their fight. Fighters ranked between #5 and #10, will receive $50K. The #3 and #4 contenders would get $125K. The challenger will receive $375K, and the company’s champion will get $750K for the title defense. 

But the big question was still pending. Will Arum ever join hands with Dana White to make fights for TKO Boxing? The 93-year-old initially seemed unsure. He claimed that he had to take care of his fighters first. However, Arum has often worked with others. Take PBC’s Sandy Ryan vs. Mikaela Mayer, for example. Even though Ryan lost the bout, Arum spoke highly of her. On top of that, he has also collaborated with Oscar De La Hoya on a few occasions. But what about White’s new venture? Arum said, “I don’t see any problem there.” 

Arum and White have often gone wild at each other. The last time they exchanged some heated words was after the meeting amongst boxing promoters at The Wynn, Las Vegas, in February 2025. That was the time when Arum claimed that White’s new venture was bound to fail. But do you know how the UFC CEO felt about him? 

Dana White has a jumble of emotions for Bob Arum 

The verbal battle between White and Arum has continued for a long while now. And the one emotion that seemed dominant in White was hatred for Arum. During an episode of The Tucker Carlson Show on February 3, White said, “I hate him, he’s an a——-! Bob Arum, yeah, boxing promoter… he’s 94 years old, right? I hate him. This guy’s the biggest d——— of all time… So I am at the [Las Vegas] Aces WNBA game, right? Bob Arum is 94 years old. It’s nine o’clock at night. He’s sitting over there courtside. I’m like, ‘Holy s—, Bob Arum is here. This is crazy. This guy’s 94 years old.”

Being active and promoting fights after the age of 90 was something that not many can ace. But it was different for Arum, and he has proven it time and time again. And that’s how, along with the hatred for Arum, White also had quite a bit of respect for the boxing promoter. He continued, “I s— you not, two days later, I’m watching a fight. Bob Arum is in Saudi Arabia, ringside at a boxing event. Two days later, he’s in London at a press conference. He’s 94 years old! I hate him. But you’ve got to respect it, right? How do you not respect that?”

Nevertheless, White would definitely need fighters to grace the ring at TKO Boxing. He has already shown interest in bringing in the big names like Canelo Alvarez and Tyson Fury. But collaborating with his competitors like Arum was indeed something that he could look up to. After all, Arum was ready to roll with White. 

What are your thoughts on TKo Boxing’s purse? D0 you think these purses can witness a hike if White collaborates with other fight promotions? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.