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Philippines, 17 Sep 2025 |
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Canelo-Crawford: The Consolidation of Boxing’s New Commercial Empire By Gabriel F. Cordero PhilBoxing.com Wed, 17 Sep 2025  The record-shattering spectacle that was Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence “Bud” Crawford may not simply represent a historic night of boxing. It may well mark the formal consolidation of a new global boxing empire—one orchestrated behind the scenes by two of the sport's most ambitious powerbrokers: Turki Alalshikh, the influential Saudi advisor and sports visionary, and Dana White, the UFC czar determined to reshape the fragmented world of boxing under the TKO banner. Together, they are forging an alliance that may ultimately disrupt the long-standing structure of professional boxing, stripping influence away from traditional promoters and sanctioning bodies, and placing the sport firmly within the grip of a streamlined, commercially potent, and media-savvy regime. A Vision Beyond the Ring: White, Alalshikh, and the New Boxing Order For years, Dana White has voiced his frustration with boxing’s chaotic ecosystem—fractured television deals, sanctioning body politics, delayed super fights, and bloated PPV prices. With the establishment of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of UFC and the proposed Zuffa Boxing, White is now moving to implement sweeping changes—starting with a bold overhaul of federal regulations that currently restrict promoters from ranking fighters and sanctioning title bouts. According to sources, White’s ultimate vision centers around the creation of a Unified Boxing Organization (UBO)—a centralized model akin to UFC’s structure. Under the UBO, fighters would operate under one set of rankings, one championship belt per division, and a consistent fight schedule designed to maximize both athlete exposure and fan engagement. Such a transformation would require significant amendments to the Ali Act, passed in 2000 to protect fighters from exploitation. But White’s efforts are not without momentum—especially if he secures political backing from former President Donald Trump, with whom he maintains strong ties. That support could fast-track congressional approval and redefine the legal boundaries of boxing promotion in America. Saudi Influence and the Rise of the Riyadh Season While White’s ambitions are regulatory and structural, it is Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh who appears to be funding and framing the global stage. With unlimited resources and a long-term vision, the Riyadh Season—Alalshikh’s flagship cultural and sports initiative—has rapidly become the beating heart of boxing’s new era. By offering record purses and world-class production, Saudi Arabia has drawn the world’s top promoters—Top Rank, Matchroom, Golden Boy, PBC, Queensberry—into its orbit. The biggest names in boxing have followed suit, lured not just by money, but by stability, spectacle, and scale. Even The Ring Magazine, boxing’s oldest publication, is now under the purview of these rising powers, signaling not just a change in business, but a change in ideology. Alalshikh’s reach extends beyond professional fights. Through his foundation, Saudi Arabia has begun sponsoring amateur boxing gear in nations across Latin America—from Panama and Colombia to Venezuela—planting the seeds for a generation of fighters raised under a Saudi-aligned boxing banner. Netflix: The Crown Jewel of the New Model The recent Netflix broadcast of Canelo vs. Crawford, which drew over 41.4 million global viewers, represents the culmination of this Saudi-TKO vision: a seamlessly produced, globally accessible, culturally dominant combat sports product. By eliminating the pay-per-view barrier and bringing the fight to a worldwide subscriber base, Netflix and Riyadh Season broke open boxing’s walled garden. In the process, they shattered decades-old records and ushered in a new era of monetization based on reach, virality, and mainstream visibility—not antiquated PPV buys. With Zuffa Boxing still waiting to land what many insiders believe could be the most lucrative broadcast deal in sports history, the partnership between TKO, Netflix, and the Riyadh Season may soon become a permanent fixture of boxing’s commercial ecosystem. A Power Shift Away from Traditional Gatekeepers Promoters may still “own” their fighters contractually, but they no longer own the platform. In the modern landscape, the television deal is king, and that crown now rests on the head of streaming giants and sovereign-backed sporting events. While traditional sanctioning bodies like the WBC continue to play ceremonial roles, their political influence is waning. The tension surrounding WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán and the Canelo-Crawford protocol and title presentation is emblematic of a deeper shift: boxing’s legacy institutions are being quietly but unmistakably marginalized by a new commercial order. In this empire, the figure of Turki Alalshikh looms large—part matchmaker, part benefactor, part cultural czar. Charismatic, calculating, and deeply passionate about the sport, Alalshikh is no longer just funding boxing; he is reshaping it. Boxing's Maximus Moment The Canelo-Crawford mega-fight may be remembered not just for what happened between the ropes, but for what it symbolized outside them. Like Maximus Decimus Meridius, the gladiator of Ridley Scott’s 2000 epic, boxing itself now stands at a crossroads—once free, now beholden to an emperor. The sport, long governed by a patchwork of national bodies and private promoters, is being absorbed into a unified global spectacle—commanded not by tradition, but by vision, capital, and cinematic grandeur. Boxing may never be the same again. And for better or worse, that change may have begun with Canelo vs. Crawford—a fight that shattered not just records, but old empires. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Gabriel F. Cordero.  |
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