“I’m going to start my show”: Dana White vows to fix boxing by 2026 with UFC-style approach

In a recent interview, UFC president Dana White made an ambitious statement, saying he's going to change professional boxing with a Contender Series-type format in 2026. White, in partnership with Saudi Arabia's Turki Alalshikh and the TKO Group, is introducing a league called "Zuffa Boxing," which is intended to replicate the goldmine structure of the UFC.

The push is meant to bring the same clarity, fighter-developing formula, and investor interest to boxing that took MMA from relative obscurity to the mainstream.

Dana White outlines vision for boxing’s revival

White laid out his vision in a recent interview, declaring:“Basically, in 2026, I’m going to start my show, and what I’m going to do is basically like Contender Series. The best will fight the best, undefeated guys will fight undefeated guys, and what you will do is you will care about the first fight of the night, and not just the main event. So I will build stars, put on great fights, and then these guys will graduate and fight with Sheik Turki.”

Backed by TKO Group and Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, White has now onboarded 60 to 70 fighters for the new project. Kicking things off will be a huge event, the Canelo Alvarez – Terence Crawford superfight on September 13, 2025, in Las Vegas, live on Netflix.

Creating a unified league in a fractured sport

White sees boxing becoming an NFL or NBA-like league, centralized, reinvested, and investor-friendly.

Clearly ranked with one division, one title per weight class, the sport would undoubtedly be more transparent and attractive to fans and partners alike if this happened.That vision runs directly into some hefty legal roadblocks. Promoters are currently banned from controlling rankings and title fights under the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. A pending amendment to create an "Ali Revival Act," which would extend the time for TKO prelims after California State Athletic Commission board members revoked their backing this week amid backlash against those proposed changes.

However, long-time promoters like Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren are not convinced. One of the most outspoken promoters on the planet, Hearn has openly wondered if the UFC’s consolidated model can ever really become a thing in boxing.Also Read: Dana White confirms Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford set to become one of the biggest fights in boxing

Dana White’s path to legitimacy in boxing

White, however, remains undeterred. He has called boxing a “busted sport,” in need of structural reform, which he believes only a unified league can provide.It remains to be seen whether Zuffa Boxing can navigate around the regulatory barriers, avoid the entrenched promoters, and earn the trust of the fighters and fans. How that will happen is anyone's guess, but the writing is on the wall: Dana White is ready to roll the dice on transforming boxing and ushering in a new era of structure and superstars.