Frank Warren Billion Dollar Legal Battle Sparks Boxing Power Struggle
Veteran British promoter Frank Warren billion dollar legal battle is now unfolding as Queensberry Promotions prepares to take Saudi Arabia’s Sela and combat-sports giant TKO Group Holdings to court over alleged contract breaches tied to the explosive rise of Zuffa Boxing.
What the Frank Warren Billion Dollar Legal Battle Is About
According to multiple reports, Frank Warren’s billion dollar legal battle centers on contracts his company claims were signed with Sela the Saudi state-linked entertainment firm and with the TKO Group, the U.S. entity behind UFC and WWE.
Queensberry says it agreed to provide boxing operational expertise and data access to both organisations as Sela sought to enter the sport in 2023, including involvement around high-profile events such as the heavyweight crossover fight between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou.
Warren’s team alleges that Sela and TKO then bypassed those deals to create Zuffa Boxing — a new promotion fronted by UFC boss Dana White and Saudi-backed Turki Alalshikh excluding Queensberry entirely and costing the promoter up to $1 billion in anticipated income.
Letters before action have reportedly been sent, with the matter potentially moving to the British High Court if a resolution isn’t reached.
Responses and Rejections from Sela and TKO
Sela has publicly rejected the claims, calling the lawsuit “unfounded” and expressing confidence that the facts will ultimately support their position.
At this stage, neither TKO nor Zuffa Boxing has issued detailed public statements on the legal dispute.
Zuffa Boxing’s Role in the Dispute
The new joint venture between Sela and TKO aims to establish a major new force in professional boxing. Launched in 2025, Zuffa Boxing has aggressively signed talent most notably Conor Benn from Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable and outlined plans for championship belts and expanded events.
Critics argue the venture represents a seismic shift in boxing’s traditional promotional landscape, with legal experts watching the Frank Warren billion dollar legal battle as a potential turning point for how major fight rights and partnerships are structured.
Why This Matters to Boxing’s Future
Boxing has long been dominated by established promoters like Frank Warren, whose Queensberry Promotions has launched careers for fighters including Tyson Fury and hosted marquee events for decades.
If the Frank Warren billion dollar legal battle proceeds to trial, it could reshape how commercial alliances and data sharing are negotiated in the sport and signal a new era of legal-commercial competition between legacy promoters and deep-pocketed global ventures.
