Is Saudi Arabia's involvement a tell-tale sign of mainstream boxing going out of business? Breaking down Dana White's allegations

Dana White has lobbied a serious accusation at boxing, accusing the sport of having mismanaged itself so horribly from a financial standpoint that Saudi Arabia had to intervene to pay fighters their due. It is a strong allegation from the UFC CEO, who has never been shy about his opinions on boxing.

His statements were made during a recent sitdown with ex-NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe, whose Club Shay Shay podcast welcomed the UFC CEO. The two men spoke about numerous topics, ranging from White's gambling habits to his opinion on the possibility of celebrities betting on Power Slap.

However, what has drawn significant attention was his accusation that boxing has mismanaged itself to such an extent that it needed the financial aid of Saudi Arabia's ultra-wealthy elite. But is there any truth to White's words?

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Dana White's claims vs. Saudi Arabia's sports plans

Dana White made a damning claim that must now be scrutinized to ascertain its worth. In response to the rising complaints the UFC has received for its controversial pay structure, including from the promotion's current fighters, White lashed out on a recent episode of the Club Shay Shay podcast.

"Most of these guys in boxing will say, 'I want $40 million for that.' Well, how does that f***ing make sense? Boxing got so f***ed up that nobody could actually make a living out of it, that Saudi Arabia had to take it over. A group of people that have so much money, they don't care whether they make or lose money."

Check out Dana White talking about boxing's financial situation (1:14:18):

While the UFC CEO has, in the past, taken aim at boxing promoter and Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, alleging that the latter does not pay his boxers. However, that particular line of criticism has more to do with White having a longlasting feud with Arum versus any true intention of calling Arum's business practices into question.

Second, Saudi Arabia's boxing interest does not point to internal rot in the sport. Saudi Arabia has been expanding into countless sports to rehabilitate its global image. Part of its efforts include crossover fights like Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury, and signing football legend Cristiano Ronaldo to Al-Nassr.

Another is its 2021 introduction of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Formula One, for which it has regional broadcasting rights. Additionally, the country's government is currently planning a megaproject called Qiddiya to diversify its economy.

Part of this megaproject is the launch of a new motor racing circuit for both Formula One and potentially MotoGP, another sport.

That Saudi Arabia now has its hand in boxing is not an indication of the sport's decline, as the country is doing the same for various other sports, none of which are declining. Football and Formula One, for example, are still leagues above the financial success seen in either MMA or boxing.

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The hypocrisy of Dana White's accusation

A more eyebrow-raising aspect of Dana White's accusation is that TKO Group Holdings, the media conglomerate to which the UFC and WWE belong, is currently doing business with Saudi Arabia. UFC on ABC 6, better known as UFC Saudi Arabia, is the promotion's first event in the country and part of Riyadh Season.

Despite being a Fight Night card, it features a pay-per-view-worthy lineup of matchups, including Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov (originally Khamzat Chimaev), Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov, and Johnny Walker vs. Volkan Oezdemir. This is an effort the UFC has made for no one else.

Is the desire to please Saudi Arabia an indication that the UFC needs to be on the country's good side or risk financial ruin? The assertion has no merit. Simply put, the partnership between the UFC and Riyadh Season is lucrative, as is Saudi Arabia's partnership with everyone else.

WWE has also enjoyed a strong partnership with Saudi Arabia, which has manifested in the annual WWE Crown Jewel pay-per-view held in Riyadh. The PFL, an MMA promotion like the UFC, is also working with Saudi Arabia, having launched PFL MENA, a regional league to foster homegrown talent.

Are these indications that MMA and professional wrestling are suffering from financial ailments like boxing? Or is only boxing to be accused of such for working with Saudi Arabia? Moreover, boxing just had a successful event this past weekend with the Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin matchup without Saudi help.

Similarly, boxing superstar Canelo Álvarez remains a pay-per-view success, having never relied on assistance from the Saudi sports takeover. White's criticisms, while damning, have little foundation, especially when taking the UFC's own financial controversies into account.