Dana White’s ‘cheap’ $600k tactics surfaced by boxer as Turki Alalshikh signs historic deal

Ex-IBF/WBA boxing champ Paul Malignaggi goes scorched earth on Dana White after partnership with Saudi GEA's Turki Alalshikh.

Dana White’s ‘cheap’ $600k tactics surfaced by boxer as Turki Alalshikh signs historic deal

Dana White branded a 'pig' in lengthy rant by Paulie Malignaggi after boxing TKO-takeover (Source: IMAGO/X)

The combat clique is still reeling fresh from the news of Dana White and his UFC being part of a boxing league. White/TKO have established a partnership with Saudi GEA boxing chief and power broker Turki Alalshikh. However, Paul Malignaggi thinks boxing is better off without this.

White and WWE president Nick Khan will act as pitchmen for this UFC boxing league to cut through this confusion. The plan is to have active combines and dedicated telecasts rather than top-heavy boxing cards with literally everyone just touting some gold hardware. While UFC fighters are not allowed to draft into these athlete combines or transfer to boxing at the UFC PIs, fighters are hopeful for what it all means. Enter Malignaggi to play spoiler in all the fun.

Why would you align with a guy like Dana White? Remember … Francis Ngannou was making $600,000 a fight? Ngannou who is basically the Deontay Wilder of the heavyweight division – The Oleksandr Usyk, the Tyson Fury of of the UFC heavyweight division at the time, $600,000 for a main event plus a couple of pay per view points…Dude, the guys in boxing make thirty, forty, fifty, sixty million dollars…You’re gonna bring in a pig like this who has this reputation?

Paul Malignaggi on his YT Channel (@PaulieTVBrooklyn)
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Ex-IBF and WBA champ Paul Malignaggi was on the roll for an ongoing partnership with UFC’s Conor McGregor. He was brought in from the boxing side of things for a 12-round spar before The Money Fight: Mayweather vs. McGregor, 2017. Soon, footage of the Crumlin Boxing Club’s “Notorious” dropping him kept bleeding through. He says that despite the irony, he’s friends with a lot of MMA fighters, and their pay scale does not instill hope.

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To him, it’s a White vs. fighter situation with how he handled the pay. Randy Couture and White, Frank, and Lorenzo Fertitta fought hard for giving away his ancillary rights in perpetuity. Ex-UFC lineal HW Francis Ngannou dragged on a sunset clause of $600,000 because he did not get any proper PPV points/compensations. White later said “Predator” was a money-hog, ducking fights as he knew he’d lose. So Malignaggi asks why bring such a guy in at all!

Eddie Hearn gripes with one particular element of Dana White – Saudi GEA partnership and boxing league

Many have had their issues with UFC headman Dana White over the years. Even Ngannou later became the hottest-ever free agency, a PFL-signing and even a pro boxer. He debuted on Turki Alalshikh’s Saudi GEA Riyadh Season opener and almost caused an upset over ex-WBC lineal champ Tyson Fury.

Turki Alalshikh and Dana White's league draws one prime disagreement
Turki Alalshikh and Dana White’s league draws one prime disagreement (Source: X)

However, most unanimously agree that White culminates the proper fight framework, and boxing needs him. UFC parent company TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and White are sure to ruffle something around the block.

Canelo Alvarez has a new four-fight Saudi GEA deal with Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season. It’s a prime rumor that this boxing league would shoot off during Alvarez’s second match (September). Concurrently, he has said he’d be willing to work with TKO and White.

Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, always with 168-pound super champ Canelo in his sights, caught attention. Reacting to White’s boxing league and a TKO link-up, Hearn said boxing didn’t need a dire change. Rather, this was a sign of the stronger position of boxing.

The one thing that I disagree with his Excellency and Dana White — boxing’s not broken. Boxing’s in the best place it’s ever been… and boxing’s been hot for a long, long time. Riyadh Season, his Excellency, he’s injected that new lease of life and of course, a huge amount of money as well to make these big fights happen so I don’t think anyone’s going to fix boxing but can we improve it?

Eddie Hearn to ‘The Stomping Ground’
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Even before reacting to the TKO involvement, Hearn strongly urged boxing as a greater product than MMA. He believes that big names getting involved only bolsters that boxing is the place to be. The Saudi GEA chairman has done wonders for boxing, and Hearn is here for it. But he’s also very unsure of White veering away from the framework and having one belt and one champion.

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