British boxing finds itself engulfed in an unprecedented civil war, with Dana White’s Saudi-backed Zuffa Boxing mounting a direct assault on the sport’s established order.
The conflict erupted dramatically last week when Conor Benn abandoned Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable to join the American-led venture, sending shockwaves through the domestic fight game.
This week may ultimately be remembered as a pivotal moment in pugilistic history, with the Benn defection merely the opening salvo in what Hearn predicts could become a decade-long promotional battle.
The two pillars of British boxing, Hearn and Frank Warren, once bitter rivals divided by four decades of familial animosity, now find themselves united against a common adversary.
Both promotional giants have operated as gatekeepers of the sport for years, but the emergence of Zuffa Boxing, backed by Saudi official Turki Alalshikh and TKO Group Holdings, threatens to upend everything.
Warren has responded to the Zuffa threat with legal action, reportedly seeking up to $1bn in compensation from TKO and Sela.
The 73-year-old promoter’s company Queensberry alleges that both firms breached contracts and formed their partnership behind his back.
According to reports, Queensberry signed an exclusivity agreement with Sela in September 2023, granting the Saudi events company access to the promotion’s boxing expertise.
Frank Warren has responded to Zuffa with legal action and is seeking $1billion in compensation
| PAA separate arrangement with TKO allegedly provided access to Queensberry’s online data, including details of the Sela contract.
Legal correspondence has been dispatched, with the matter potentially heading to the High Court should no resolution materialise.
Warren told the BBC: “It’s just a difference of opinion over the contracts that we signed, so that will just take its course. I can’t make any comment on it. It is what it is.”
Sela has firmly rejected the allegations, with a spokesman stating: “We are disappointed by the unfounded claims brought by Queensberry and Frank Warren. We reject them in their entirety and are confident that the facts will fully vindicate our position.”
Hearn’s reaction to Benn’s departure revealed the depth of personal betrayal felt by the Matchroom chief.
The promoter disclosed that he had lent Benn “hundreds of thousands of pounds” during the fighter’s three-year exile from British boxing following two failed drug tests.
Speaking to iFL TV, Hearn’s devastation was palpable as he recounted his final exchange with the welterweight.
“I made a mistake, because I misjudged the character,” Hearn admitted. “I’m not gonna hang him out to dry […] but when I received the email from his lawyer, I texted him and said: ‘For everything I’ve done for you, I think I deserve a call.’ And he said ‘no’, and I was like: ‘Man… f***… I can’t believe it.'”
Benn, who described himself as being at his lowest ebb mentally during his suspension, has expressed hope that some form of collaboration with Hearn might continue.
Such optimism appears somewhat fanciful given the circumstances.
Dana White has teamed up with Turki Alalshikh at Zuffa Boxing, which threatens to turn the boxing world upside down
|GETTY
White’s ambitions extend far beyond simply promoting fights; he seeks to fundamentally restructure boxing’s entire architecture.
The UFC president envisions a centralised model featuring unified rankings, a single championship belt per division, and just eight weight classes rather than the current seventeen.
His partnership with Alalshikh has enabled Zuffa to circumvent the traditional sanctioning bodies, the so-called “alphabet soup” of the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO.
More controversially, Zuffa is actively lobbying in America for the Muhammad Ali Revival Act, legislation designed to dilute the original 2000 reform act that protects fighters from exploitation.
Current regulations prohibit promoters from simultaneously acting as managers or sanctioning bodies.
White and Alalshikh wish to establish Unified Boxing Organisations, effectively allowing Zuffa to become judge and jury of the sport.
Turki Alalshikh has plans to overthrow the boxing system currently and implement his own brand
| PAOne veteran promoter, speaking anonymously, described the scheme as “a monopoly in tuxedo’s clothing”, warning that fighters would become employees stripped of independent contractor status.
The implications for British boxing’s future remain profoundly uncertain as this power struggle intensifies.
Matchroom recently secured a fresh five-year agreement with DAZN, whilst Warren maintains his grip on the heavyweight division through fighters including Tyson Fury.
Yet Zuffa has established a formidable broadcasting presence through Paramount+ in America, with discussions reportedly underway regarding a Sky Sports arrangement in Britain.
Speculation naturally turns to which fighters might follow Benn’s path.
Hearn was swift to distinguish between Benn and Anthony Joshua when asked about potential further departures, declaring: “You can’t mention those in the same breath, for many reasons. Joshua is a different breed of class and loyalty.”
Eddie Hearn has already been bitten after losing star fighter Conor Benn to Zuffa Boxing
| GETTYThe prospect of Zuffa capturing both Joshua and Fury to stage their long-anticipated showdown without British promotional involvement would represent a seismic shift.
As one insider observed, nothing now seems impossible in this new era of boxing warfare.