Revealed: How much boxers in bombshell new Saudi boxing league ‘will earn per fight’ – including when challenging for and defending titles
Some of the fighter purses for the bombshell new Saudi boxing league that will use UFC and WWE to ‘make the sport great again’ have seemingly been revealed.
Earlier this month, UFC and WWE parent company TKO announced a new boxing league in collaboration with Turki Alalshikh and Saudi Arabia’s entertainment company Sela.
A statement released by TKO Holdings said the new promotion will provide a premier platform for top boxers and emerging talents, with UFC President Dana White and WWE President Nick Khan overseeing operations.
What sets it apart is the new league format, which – it is hoped – will cut down the endless squabbling and negotiations over who fights who and who is the real champion of the world.
A number of stars are set to be involved, with definite purses for top stars unclear – but money provided to lower-level fighters has seemingly been revealed.
According to Boxing Scene, fees will range from $20,000 to up to $750,000 – fees which depend on a boxer’s ranking and what they are fighting for.
Some of the fighter purses for the bombshell new Saudi boxing league have seemingly been revealed
UFC and WWE parent company TKO announced a new boxing league in collaboration with Turki Alalshikh and Saudi Arabia’s entertainment company Sela
When challenging for a ‘company’ championship, it is reported that fighters will earn $375,000
That will rise to $750,000 when defending a ‘company’ championship, with rankings important
The post suggests that fighters will pick up $20,000 for a 10-round fight when they are unranked in the league.
That will seemingly increase to $50,000 when they are ranked between No 5 and No 10, and $125,000 when they are ranked either No 3 or No 4.
When they are challenging for a ‘company’ championship, it is reported that they will earn $375,000 and that will rise to $750,000 when defending a ‘company’ championship.
In the league, White wants a UFC-style model where fighters must prove themselves against top contenders to hold unified championship belts, addressing the current complexities arising from multiple sanctioning bodies.
In the UFC fighters are ranked in various weight classes, and championship titles are determined by a clear and straightforward progression based on performance and rankings.
Speaking to The Ring Magazine about how the new promotion will operate and differ from the current format, White said: ‘The best will fight the best. There is zero speculation about the format. You know the format, everyone knows the format, the best will fight the best.
‘You work your way up the rankings and once somebody breaks into the top five, there will be no question who the best five guys in the world are in each weight class and they fight it out.
‘Once somebody holds that belt, you don’t need three letters in front of the belt; whoever has that belt is the best in the world at that weight class. It’s a very simple model.’
