Conor Benn’s $15 M Fight: Who’s Really Paying?

A big fight is on the horizon for British boxer Conor Benn, but the money isn’t coming from the UFC owners. During a recent quarterly call, Mark Shapiro of TKO Group Holdings explained that the one‑fight deal with Zuffa Boxing is fully funded by the Saudi‑led entertainment firm SELA, headed by Turki Alalshikh. Shapiro made it clear that TKO is not footing any of Benn’s purse; the $15 million figure, while unconfirmed, will be paid by SELA. This arrangement mirrors the Canelo‑Crawford bout that aired on Netflix in September, where Zuffa promoted the event and SELA covered the costs.Zuffa Boxing launched in January, and its events are broadcast exclusively on Paramount+, with the UFC’s owners handling only a small fee for promotion. The plan for Benn is to headline a big “superfight” in 2026, not to fight regularly on the Zuffa calendar. Both Dana White and WWE’s Nick Khan were involved in signing Benn, but the details of his next fight—date, location, opponent—remain undisclosed. In short, the UFC’s owners are not paying Benn; SELA is, and the match will likely be a high‑profile event similar to past Zuffa spectacles.