Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, has shared insights on the creation of the TKO Boxing League, a project he recently announced alongside Dana White.
According to Alalshikh, the league is not intended to compete with existing promoters or organizations but rather to help grow the sport and deliver major fights for fans.
“Last week, we announced the launch of the TKO Boxing League with Dana White. Our focus is on building this league to give fighters an opportunity to create something that fans will love. We have many ideas, but I’ll save them for the right moment. Dana will announce them later.
This league is not meant to go against anyone—it’s not against the sanctioning bodies, not against the promoters. That’s my view.
It’s simply a project that will find its place in the market. The four major belts, the commissions, and the promoters will all remain. The market is huge, and no one can push anyone else out of it.
I understand the current panic in the industry because there are so many companies and promoters. But what I want to say is—we care about the fans and the fighters. We will continue to put on major fights for the public.
The collaboration between Riyadh Season, The Ring Magazine, and various promoters will continue for at least another one to two years. It all depends on how they respond and the options they present. If it benefits us, we will keep working together.
What I appreciate in this situation is what Matchroom and Eddie Hearn are doing. Eddie continues to discuss organizing major fights worldwide with me and my team. He has decided to continue working with us, and we will keep working with him.
We’ve also had extensive discussions about Golden Boy fighters appearing on various shows. My team and I are always open to collaborating with boxing promoters, as long as they bring us strong proposals,” said Alalshikh.