Boxing has always been defined by its rivalries.
From Muhammad Ali’s legendary trilogy with Joe Frazier to Manny Pacquiao’s dramatic four-fight series against Juan Manuel Marquez, these matchups transcended mere contests. They were intense battles that pushed remarkable athletes to discover new limits, ultimately elevating themselves and the sport as a whole.
Such rivalries pulse at the heart of boxing, where champions rise, legacies are built, and eras are shaped.
Currently, a fresh rivalry is emerging.
This conflict won’t unfold under the dazzling lights of Las Vegas or the sounds of a boxing bell in front of a packed arena; instead, it’s brewing behind closed doors among powerful sports executives. If managed correctly, it could become another “Fight of the Century” — not Ali vs. Frazier or Pacquiao vs. Marquez, but White vs. Arum and Alalshikh vs. Haymon. The implications are greater than championship belts, as this significant clash could dictate the sport’s future and identity, with its very essence at stake.
In one corner, the established figures: Al Haymon, Bob Arum, Oscar De La Hoya, and their global peers, who have shaped modern boxing, bearing influence over every significant bout in the last fifty years. However, the empires they built over decades are now in decline, with once-mighty broadcasting deals reduced to mere fragments — down from around $100 million annually to as low as $10 million, based on reports from insiders.
A New Era in Boxing
On the opposing side is the bold newcomer: TKO, led by Dana White and backed by Turki Alalshikh’s vast resources, energized by the UFC’s new $7.7 billion broadcast deal. TKO doesn’t aim to participate in boxing; it seeks to dominate. Its ambitions involve rewriting the landscape with its own championship titles and rankings, pending the passage of an Ali Act Revival bill.
This shift has the potential to either fracture or fortify boxing. Like Ali vs. Frazier and Pacquiao vs. Marquez, it could reinforce the sport, provided the old guard can set aside their egos and unite.
