Overview
- On a quarterly call, TKO president Mark Shapiro said the company is not paying Conor Benn’s purse, which he said is being covered by Zuffa Boxing’s Saudi backer SELA, led by Turki Alalshikh.
- He declined to confirm the widely reported $15 million figure but emphasized Benn’s agreement is for one bout targeting a 2026 “superfight,” with date, opponent, and location still unannounced.
- The clarification followed public pushback from UFC stars such as Sean O’Malley and Demetrious Johnson, who questioned the reported payout and highlighted UFC pay disparities.
- Michael Page also criticized how quickly Benn was valued over UFC athletes, pointing to limited recent changes in UFC bonus structures despite major new broadcast revenue.
- Shapiro said Zuffa Boxing plans two to four marquee events per year with SELA footing event costs, noting the model previously used for Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford, for which Zuffa Boxing is paid a promoter’s fee.