The WBC welcomes Zuffa Boxing, the promotion company owned by UFC CEO Dana White: “We’re not concerned”
The world has reacted to the news of a new emergence in boxing.
The alliance between Dana White and Turki Al-Sheikh has been presented as a revolution for boxing—pitting the best against the best. White’s new venture, Zuffa Boxing, the latest project from the UFC CEO, aims to establish a league with its own titles, separate from the four major sanctioning bodies (WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF). Mauricio Sulaimán, president of the World Boxing Council, was quick to respond.
“The World Boxing Council is an institution that has existed for 63 years. We are at the best moment in our history: strong, with a global platform, and with incredible loyalty and solidarity,” Sulaimán stated calmly on Tuesday at Café. He insisted that the WBC sees no threat in the new project. According to White, the circuit of young talents they are developing will compete for the Zuffa and The Ring belts—excluding those of the traditional organizations.
“There is no problem. Welcome Zuffa Boxing to the sport. May they succeed in their journey. I only hope it benefits the fighters, because that is all that matters: the fighters,” Sulaimán said.
Turki Alalshikh and Dana White pose with the $188,000 Ring Magazine belt 👑 pic.twitter.com/XQ3EOfcbJk
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) September 14, 2025
Still, the tone of the new alliance has left him unconvinced. “I don’t see them coming in with a threatening stance. It poses absolutely no concern for the WBC. On the contrary, we welcome more boxing,” he emphasized. White’s vision is to model Zuffa Boxing after the UFC—his globally dominant mixed martial arts promotion.
“For us, there is no attack, no posturing, no concern. The WBC has no reason to stoop to demonstrations. We are very successful in what we do, the way we do it, and we continue to grow by leaps and bounds.”
Just days ago, Paramount announced a partnership with Zuffa to stream 12 boxing events in 2026 on Paramount+, with expectations that the number will grow in the coming years.
“We are about unity, rapprochement, and building bridges. Boxers deserve the freedom to pursue their dreams, and for decades that dream has been to win the green and gold belt. If another league exists, that is another matter—but here there are no vetoes, no restrictions, no expulsions. Quite the opposite.”
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For now, it remains to be seen how the new project will coexist with boxing’s established organizations. The others have yet to comment.
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