Eddie Hearn believes Dana White’s TKO Boxing league could cause issues among UFC fighters due to “wild” disparity in pay between the two sports

Eddie Hearn (rights) sends words of warning to Dana White (left) over his TKO Boxing league causing issues amongst UFC fighters [Images courtesy: Getty Images]
Eddie Hearn (right) sends words of warning to Dana White (left) over his TKO Boxing league causing issues amongst UFC fighters [Images courtesy: Getty Images]

Dana White will be the face of a new boxing league created by the UFC's owners TKO Group Holdings, entertainment group Sela and Turki Alalshikh. The TKO Boxing league will feature a rankings system with fighters competing for one belt.

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The boxing league will not work with other promotions, and leading promoter in the sport, Eddie Hearn, has shared words of caution with White over the potential pay structure of the TKO Boxing league.

Hearn's comments were rooted in the conversation surrounding fighter pay in the UFC. The world's biggest MMA promotion has been criticized for years about the money they pay fighters. The purses earned by the world's best boxers outweigh the purses earned by the best UFC fighters by a staggering amount, as pointed out by four-divison world champion Terence Crawford.

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Hearn believes that should White begin paying boxers exorbitant purses, it could ruffle the feathers of his UFC fighters.

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The Matchroom Boxing chairman was recently interviewed by Boxing King Media, who asked Hearn if he was concerned that TKO Boxing could persuade Matchroom clients such as Anthony Joshua to join the newly-created league. Hearn said:

"I don't think TKO have got any interest in recruiting that level of fighter. I don't think they want to pay that kind of money... Sometimes boxer's purses are heavily inflated in relation to their commercial value. TKO have got to be very careful not to get involved in overpaying fighters and how that will effect their relationship with talent in other areas of their business, namely the UFC. The disparity between pay in the UFC and boxing is quite wild."
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Check out Eddie Hearn's comments on Dana White's TKO boxing league below (4:25):

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Dana White says money will be evenly spread in new TKO Boxing league

Dana White has faced plenty of criticism from fans for the UFC pay structure for fighters. Following the announcement that he would be in charge of the new TKO Boxing league, there has been speculation about the pay structure of the league.

With boxing's financial powerhouse, Turki Alalshikh, in partnership with White, the league will have no shortage of funds. During a recent interview with TNT Sports, White was asked about the future of boxing in the TKO league. He said:

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"You’ll see money spread out throughout the entire business again, and not just going to a couple handful of guys... There are guys that would be considered journeymen in boxing that have made millions of dollars in the UFC. I think you’ll see a lot more of that in boxing now."

Check out Dana White's comments below:

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Edited by Tejas Rathi
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