Frank Warren is set to sue Turki Al-Sheikh and SELA over a breach of contract surrounding the Saudi’s new venture with Dana White and ZUFFA.
Frank Warren is a hall of fame promoter.
A stacked British stable with the likes of Tyson Fury, Fabio Wardley, Daniel Dubois, Hamzah Sheeraz and many more, Queensberry are one of British Boxing’s major players
Warren’s Queensberry Promotions were the first promotion to strike a partnership with Turki Al-Sheikh and SELA in 2023.
The inaugural Riyadh Season show was billed as the ‘Battle of the Baddest’ Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou.
Since then, Queensberry have predominantly been the lead promoter for all Riyadh Season events in Saudi Arabia and the UK.
Furthermore, Turki Al-Sheikh and Warren’s relationship was a pioneer for monumental change in the sports ecosystem.
It was a catalyst for Warren and Eddie Hearn’s now positive relationship, which has seen many Matchroom vs Queensberry matchups that previously would never have happened.
However, the tide is turning, and the Saudi’s have shifted their investments to a new promoter.
Dana White’s ZUFFA boxing are 60% owned by SELA, and have plans to replicate the UFC model in boxing.
They intend to monopolise the sport, disregarding the existing promoters and recognised governing bodies, the WBC, WBO, WBA, and IBF.
Undoubtedly, the feathers of the boxing world have been ruffled.
On Friday, ZUFFA unveiled former Matchroom starlet Conor Benn to their roster, sending shockwaves through the sport.
Following on, it now seems Warren and Queensberry are preparing to file a lawsuit against SELA.
The Telegraph have reported that “Mr Warren’s company Queensberry is claiming Sela and TKO breached contracts they had signed with him and went behind his back to form a venture that aims to revolutionise and dominate boxing”.
“Mr Alalshikh, together with Mr White, is running the new venture”.
“Legal letters have been traded, and unless TKO and Sela throw in the towel, Mr Warren intends to take his case to the High Court.”
“Queensberry will seek up to $1bn compensation for income the company claims it would have made had the contracts been honoured.”
Whether this will be settled out of court or not is yet to be seen, but the industry is certainly spicing up.
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