The TKO Boxing League is preparing to shake up the sport, backed by the company behind WWE and UFC, as well as boxing’s biggest figure right now, Turki Alalshikh, it may well break new ground for the fans.
With a vision to streamline boxing by reducing weight classes and introducing a single title per division, the league is set to challenge the long-standing system controlled by multiple sanctioning bodies.
This has met much disagreement among certain fighters, who believe the history behind the governing bodies is too precious to erase. Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh is a key figure in the project, bringing his financial power and growing influence to the sport.
His involvement in major events has already reshaped boxing’s landscape, and his latest move could mark a turning point for the promoters he’s worked with thus far, with the TKO league potentially trumping Alalshikh’s relationships with Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren.
Speculation has been growing over who will be the first fighter to sign with the new league, and, with its backing from some of the biggest names in combat sports, TKO is expected to attract elite-level talent.
However, its first major signing may not come from the established world champions but rather from one of boxing’s fastest-rising prospects.
Callum Walsh expected to sign with TKO
That fighter is Callum ‘King’ Walsh, an unbeaten Irish super welterweight who has been rapidly climbing the ranks. With a record of 12-0, including 10 knockouts, Walsh has been making a name for himself under the promotion of Tom Loeffler and Dana White.
Walsh is currently ranked sixth by both the IBF and WBC and is set to defend his WBC Super Welterweight Americas title this Sunday against Dean Sutherland at Madison Square Garden. While no official announcement has been made, his move to the TKO Boxing League appears to be all but confirmed given his relationship with the UFC boss.
If Walsh is indeed the first signing, he could set the tone for others to follow. With the league’s structure promising a fresh approach to the sport, it may not be long before more high-profile names join the ranks.
