Boxing as a sport is not owned by any single entity, but the professional boxing promotional and organizational landscape is currently dominated by a new major player called TKO Group Holdings. This group is a partnership including Dana White, the UFC president, and Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. TKO Group Holdings has entered the boxing business with the aim to consolidate the sport by promoting and managing boxing events, intending to establish a more unified structure with fewer champions per weight class. This move is perceived as a potential disruptor to the traditional boxing promotional companies and sanctioning bodies.
Traditional major boxing sanctioning bodies still exist, including the World Boxing Association (WBA), the World Boxing Council (WBC), the International Boxing Federation (IBF), and the World Boxing Organization (WBO). These sanctioning bodies award world championship titles but do not "own" boxing as a whole. Each functions independently to regulate and sanction fights under their titles.
For amateur boxing, the international governing body is called World Boxing, founded in 2023 as a response to governance issues in the previous organization. It is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and manages amateur boxing globally, including Olympic boxing.
In summary:
- No one "owns" boxing outright.
- TKO Group Holdings, led by Dana White and Turki Alalshikh, is a major and likely dominant promoter in professional boxing.
- Four major sanctioning bodies (WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO) oversee professional boxing championships.
- World Boxing governs amateur boxing internationally.
This represents the ownership and organizational structure currently shaping the sport of boxing.
