Dana White made it clear as he announced his return to boxing: “BOOOOOMM!!!!! Boxing Here We Come.” This statement opened the doors for potential crossover fights between UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and Oleksandr Usyk as boxers, particularly given White’s presence as Sheikh Turki Alalshikh was present as part of this venture.
As part of UFC 313, during media day for UFC 313, Pereira was asked by White’s announcement if his fight with Usyk could become reality, to which his reply was an enthusiastic “Absolutely, man. When I heard the news I was absolutely buzzing! Who knows September Saudi Arabia?” Since January 2025 – when Conor McGregor faced off against professional boxer Tatsuya Fujiwara – Usyk had become his desired opponent for such a fight.
The fighting community is buzzing with speculation over whether Pereira vs. Usyk could eclipse the financial and promotional success of McGregor vs. Mayweather. The latter bout generated a staggering $410 million, raising questions about the potential earnings for a Pereira vs. Usyk fight. Despite the uncertainty, Pereira expressed modesty and anticipation about the hype surrounding the potential fight.
In 2014, White’s initial foray into boxing didn’t meet expectations, but his persistence was evident when he spotlighted ‘Zuffa Boxing’ during the McGregor-Mayweather promotions. Though previous efforts saw challenges, including losing major names to competitors, White’s recent return to boxing has reignited conversation and possibilities within the sports community.
Dana White recently expressed on The Pat McAfee Show his preference to keeping boxing and mixed martial arts separate, preferring keeping fighters of each discipline within their respective domains. With support from Sheikh Turki Alashikh’s General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia Chairmanship however, White’s new boxing project promises to combine competitive UFC elements with boxing by creating an innovative ranking system in which only top boxers face each other head to head.
Although still unknown, Pereira and Usyk’s battle continues to excite fans and athletes alike. While Dana White may or may not sanction such an epic crossover match-up, just its prospects has created much interest within combat sports communities worldwide.