Dana White Plans UFC-Style Boxing League With Canelo, Crawford

Dana White, the UFC President and CEO, is making a major push into professional boxing with the launch of Zuffa Boxing and TKO Boxing, aiming to transform the sport into a centralized, investor-friendly league similar to the NFL or NBA. This weekend's high-profile Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight marks White's first foray as a boxing promoter, signaling the start of his vision to unify boxing with simpler weight classes and clear championship titles. White plans to introduce a Contender Series-style format by 2026, where top undefeated fighters compete regularly to build stars and generate sustained fan interest, a model that contributed to UFC's success. Supported by Saudi Arabian sports promoter Turki Alalshikh and the TKO Group, White has onboarded dozens of fighters and is pushing for legislative amendments to the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act to allow promoters like him to control rankings and title fights. Despite the ambitious plans, White faces significant criticism from boxing fans and established promoters who question his understanding of the sport and the feasibility of his model. Nevertheless, White remains confident that his approach can revitalize boxing by creating a unified organization and improving transparency and pay structures for fighters.