UFC CEO Dana White has stepped into the boxing spotlight, playing a major role in this weekend’s mega fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford after being officially named the event’s promoter. The showdown also serves as the launchpad for the TKO Boxing League – better known as Zuffa Boxing – White’s long-awaited project set to officially debut in 2026 with backing from Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. 

While the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act is still awaiting implementation – which will give the new boxing league a legal framework to operate – Dana White has already outlined his vision for the venture. Ahead of the Canelo-Crawford showdown at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, White appeared in an interview with Vegas PBS, where he discussed how athletes will be paid and how the new league will be structured.

Dana White plans to turn boxing into DWCS

During the interview, White was pressed on the long-debated disparity between boxer and UFC fighter pay. He calmly pointed out that not every boxer makes millions per fight, just as in the UFC, only the biggest draws – like Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor – command massive paydays. The conversation then shifted to what Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford stand to earn from their upcoming clash.

Some reports suggest a combined purse of $200 million, with Canelo taking home $150 million and Crawford pocketing $50 million. However, White admitted he doesn’t actually know the official numbers. “I actually don’t even know. That deal was cut with [Turki Alalshikh] in Saudi Arabia,” he explained. From there, White pivoted to his plans for the new boxing league, hinting at a model that could dramatically reshape how fighters are paid.

“Basically, in 2026, I’m going to start my show, and what I’m going to do is basically like the Contender Series,” White said during the interview. “The best will fight the best. Undefeated guys will fight undefeated guys. And what you will do is you will care about the first fight of the night, and not just the main event. I will build stars, put on great fights, and then these guys will graduate, and fight with [Turki Alalshikh], and they will determine how much they get paid.”

Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) is an MMA television program that serves as a proving ground for up-and-coming fighters hoping to earn a UFC contract. The show currently airs on ESPN, but its future remains uncertain following the UFC’s recently signed $7.7 billion deal with Paramount – a package that notably did not include DWCS. In the meantime, though, the proposed changes to the Ali Act are failing to secure support.

The CSAC delays the vote to support changes to the Ali Act

The California State Athletic Commission was forced to delay its decision on whether to support the proposed changes to the Ali Act. The legislation would allow TKO Group’s new boxing venture, Zuffa Boxing, to create Unified Boxing Organizations (UBOs) that can oversee ranking, sanction titles, and stage events similar to the UFC model. 

During Monday’s meeting regarding the same, twelve speakers were given the opportunity to share their opinions on the matter, and not one of them had anything good to say about it. Ronda Rousey’s mother, Dr. AnnMaria DeMars, a CSAC commissioner, voiced concerns after hearing the public’s overwhelming opposition.

“There’s no point in having public comment if we don’t pay attention to it,” she said. “These are the people who stand in that ring… and they are very much concerned about this.” CSAC has now formed a two-person committee to review the testimony and will revisit the issue at the end of this year.

From the looks of things, Dana White is determined to turn his boxing league into something akin to his Contender Series. However, the bill that will allow him to do so appears to be facing some friction among people. What do you think the future holds for the boxing league?