Dana White’s new deal with $2.8 billion Saudi promoter sparks optimism in Alex Pereira for boxing bout

UFC's Dana White and Saudi GEA's historic new boxing promotion has Alex Pereira hopeful for future boxing crossovers.

Dana White’s new deal with $2.8 billion Saudi promoter sparks optimism in Alex Pereira for boxing bout

UFC CEO Dana White is going into boxing grind and Alex Pereira wants in (Source: X/IMAGO)

UFC headman Dana White is making it into boxing big time. White and parent company TKO Group Holdings are entering the boxing foray, Ring Magazine announced yesterday. They have ponied up, along with Saudi GEA chairman and boxing chief Turki Alalshikh. That’s just splendid news for one ‘ready’ fighter who’s been eyeing this — Alex Pereira.

The UFC CEO and WWE president Nick Khan will be the anchors for this stint with boxing mogul Turki Alalshikh. Boxing’s unified HW king Oleksandr Usyk recently teased a two-parter legacy retirement; one part was a crossover “show fight” against Alex Pereira. ‘Poatan’ is the first one who made the call-up. He recently told the ‘VIP AOA Global‘ media scrum in “Down Under” that it might be possible. Now, with Dana White partnering up, Pereira is again keen on it.

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No, absolutely. I think I was the one to show interest first, …And then Usyk said that he would like to fight too. He also showed interest. So – now we’re both interested in the fight. I think it just comes down to the organization to show interest too and make this fight happen…I jumped for joy when I saw the announcement, …Maybe September. Saudi Arabia. I was the first to show interest, …I’ll be ready.

Alex Pereira durign UFC 313 PPV Media Day fighter interviews

Alex Pereira has achieved a lot. He is a UFC/GLORY double-division champ. His seven UFC fights/11 MMA fights to become a two-division champion is the quickest in UFC competition. ‘Poatan’ put on a FOTY-worthy campaign in 2024 with triple KO title defenses. The once-favela fighter is now world famous. But crossover boxing is a blueprint that just opens doors; ask Conor McGregor, who is famous for pioneering it.

The Money Fight: Mayweather Jr. vs. McGregor, 2017 banked the ‘Notorious’ some $100+ million in ROI. He also punctuated 4.3 million PPV buys and a $55 million gate income. So, no wonder Alex Pereira or anyone else would want to do it again. To do it against Ukrainian heavyweight Usyk would be just something else. However, the UFC CEO has bad news on those fronts.

Dana White goes cold turkey on UFC fighters ever joining up in new Boxing League for crossovers

Dana White has long critiqued the boxing model for not making cards top-heavy, with everyone carrying and chasing belts and commissions. He and TKO have put some Fight Pass telecasts on Rogers Sportsnet and ESPN Latam (BZ). He also telecasted the boxing homecoming of Callum Walsh on UFC Fight Pass. White was also tagged for a boxing league deal and broadcasting spectrum with UK station TNT Sports (@boxingontnt). Now, he gets to do it in real time.

Dana White has grim news for UFC fighters trying to weasel into boxing league
Dana White has grim news for UFC fighters trying to weasel into boxing league (Source: X)

The new UFC/Saudi GEA venture is to supposedly have athlete combines and structures. Wednesday, during a “The Pat McAfee Show” sit-down, he said boxers will have access to Las Vegas, Mexico, and Shanghai UFC PI. However, fighters from UFC side who train vigorously at PIs have no business poking their noses in boxing, per the bossman.

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No, never…I’m sure there are guys that want to box — but I literally don’t want to see any of that. We keep the boxers in the boxing and MMA guys in the MMA; We’ll never have that.

Dana White during The Pat McAfee Show for @espn

Under Alalshikh, a Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford super-fight is rumored to anchor the kickstart of the September boxing league. If it is so, it’s doubtful the EBITDA-centric, geographically misaligning UFC brass will offer up anything but venue at first, and commission/state-mandated payouts. TKO has also supposedly put broadcasting assignments on ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, and ESPN+ until a new deal is in place.

UFC management has the steady threat of putting UFC PPVs through the wringer for a dry output beyond the main card. So it’d probably do them good not to experiment with big names right off the bat. It’s highly unlikely that it’d pony up millions for another super card for, say, Usyk vs. Alex Pereira right after Alvarez and ‘Bud’. Per White, it’s not happening anyway, ever.

Related: Best boxing fights of 2023: 10 times fans were SHOCKED with the action in the ring