Dana White isn’t just dipping his toes into boxing anymore; he’s jumping in with a broadcast partner already in place! Starting in 2026, his Zuffa Boxing venture, backed by TKO Group and Saudi powerhouse Sela, will air 12 events a year on Paramount+ and CBS. The move comes on the heels of Paramount’s massive $1.1 billion annual deal to acquire UFC rights. Just like that, in one stroke, Paramount now becomes the home for both MMA and boxing under Dana White’s banner.

It’s a bold play. The UFC boss wants to do for boxing what he once did for MMA: strip away the politics, build stars, and control the product under one banner. But here’s the question: will White’s new venture finally fix a sport many say is broken, or will it create the same kind of monopoly critics accuse him of running in the UFC?

All about Dana White and Zuffa Boxing’s deal with CBS-Paramount

As per reports, the deal outlines 12 Zuffa Boxing events per year beginning in 2026, streamed on Paramount+ and with the possibility of select cards airing on CBS. Dana White has already hinted at the model: something closer to The Ultimate Fighter or UFC’s Contender Series, talent-building shows where prospects prove themselves in front of fans.

In a statement released by TKO, the UFC head honcho proclaimed, “I’m excited to bring great boxing events to a global audience. There are millions of boxing fans that will now be able to watch competitive fights with up-and coming boxers as well as the biggest stars in the sport. Paramount will be the home for UFC and boxing fans to watch the greatest fights in combat sports.”

Paramount just merged with Skydance, and this deal looks like their big play to put UFC and boxing under the same roof. But here’s the thing: Zuffa Boxing technically got its start somewhere else. Remember the Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez superfight in Las Vegas? That was promoted by Dana White and Turki Alalshikh, but it ended up streaming on Netflix, not Paramount.

So what does that tell us? Maybe the week-to-week shows land on Paramount+, while the mega-events still get shopped out to whoever’s willing to pay the biggest check. Yet, one of the most controversial aspects of White’s vision for boxing isn’t about matchmaking; it’s about regulation.

Dana White’s vision for boxing includes his version of the Ali Act

In a new interview with CBS Sports, Dana White has said Zuffa Boxing will attempt to make no changes to the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act but will instead “add on to it.” However, that distinction has drawn a lot of scrutiny.

The Ali Act, passed in 2000, was designed to protect boxers from exploitative promoters and sanctioning bodies. White argues that while the law was created with “good intentions,” it has “held the business back.” He claims boxers will have a choice: they can fight under the traditional Ali Act framework or “bet on me and fight with me under our version of the Muhammad Ali Act.”

However, many critics don’t buy Dana White’s spin. A UFC-style setup in boxing would mean Zuffa Boxing running the rankings, handing out the belts, and deciding every matchup. Sounds efficient, right? But here’s the catch: fighters lose the independence boxing has always had. Instead of multiple promoters and sanctioning bodies, you’d basically get one boss calling every shot.

“I knew people were going to freak out because that’s what people do,” White said. “The Muhammad Ali Act was put in place with all good intentions, but I think that it has held the business back.”

Opponents see it differently. To them, this isn’t about fixing boxing at all. It’s about shifting more power to the promoters. They argue Dana White’s “version” of the Ali Act would lock up control of pay, belts, and careers in a way that helps Zuffa Boxing way more than it helps the fighters!

What does it all mean for boxing’s future under Dana White?

The stakes couldn’t be higher. For decades, boxing has been fragmented by sanctioning bodies and competing promoters, making it hard to book the fights fans actually want. White promises to solve that by unifying matchmaking and creating his own titles. In theory, it could mean fewer politics and more big fights.

But as we pointed out above, the opinion is split. On one hand, the UFC model has undeniably worked in MMA — it streamlined divisions, built stars like Conor McGregor, and delivered blockbuster events on a consistent schedule. On the other hand, that same model has drawn criticism for low fighter pay and restrictive contracts.

However, money won’t be the problem here. Saudi Arabia’s Sela group is putting up $10 million a year, and Paramount is giving Zuffa Boxing a stable broadcast home. The real fight? Convincing fans. Are people ready to swap boxing’s messy, unpredictable charm for a polished, corporate system that looks a lot like the UFC?

Dana White himself stated, “I’m not out here beating my chest. I’m not the savior of boxing, and I’m not the worst thing that’s ever happened to it. I have a plan. We’ve started to build a team. I’m very optimistic.”

At the end of the day, Dana White is betting that fans want clarity more than chaos. The pitch is simple on the surface: no sanctioning bodies, no endless politics, just one promoter running the whole show. But the irony is that boxing’s so-called ‘imperfections’ are also its charm!

The messy rivalries between promoters, the sanctioning drama, and the politics may be understandably frustrating. But the ‘big fight’ feeling that boxing is known for also comes from those factors.  But if Dana White smooths out the chaos, will it also cause the sweet science to lose its unique soul?

To some fans, that sounds like the cure boxing has always needed. To others, it’s a nightmare. Will Zuffa Boxing really change the game, or will it just go down as another wild Dana White experiment that never lived up to the hype?