The first Zuffa Boxing gala outside the United States will take place on June 6 at Bournemouth International Center, and will be headlined by Chris Billam-Smith against Ryan Rozicki. The place has its own message. The UK is the home market for Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom and Frank Warren’s Queensberry, two companies that have operated the domestic scene for years, and Zuffa is now playing cards in its own backyard. The promotion, a joint venture between TKO Group Holdings and Saudi company Sela, has eyed the UK as its first market in a wider plan ahead of further expansion. For his part, Billam-Smith framed the evening in local terms, saying simply, “I’m going home.”

Presentation by Dana White

Dana White, the UFC chief executive who heads Zuffa Boxing alongside TKO’s Nick Khan and Saudi Arabian referee Turki Alalshikh, has said he intends to take over boxing by importing the promoter-led UFC model. He spoke bluntly about the establishment. I’m talking to ESPN in March, White said of his main rival: “Eddie Hearn will be no different. It doesn’t matter who the managers are. It doesn’t matter at all.”

White also mocked Hearn’s move to the MMA national team after Matchroom signed a consulting deal with UFC champion Tom Aspinall. He recalled Hearn vowing to compete with Zuffa and warning that there were things newbies “don’t know about boxing that they will learn,” before adding: “And two weeks later he’s an MMA manager. I don’t understand this move.” As for the wider group of promoters he’s set to meet, White would only say that he’s “dealed with some beauties” in his 25 years in the industry.

Into Hearn and Warren’s backyard

Friction works both ways. The first blow came earlier this year when Conor Benn left Matchroom for Zuffa, the most celebrated British name to switch camps. Hearn, who supported Benn during his two-year doping case, described the rivalry as a long war. He said BBC Sport: “It’s going to be a long and challenging battle. But I’m also humbled and humbled that it feels like a fight between me and him. And I’m ready for it.”

Hearn showed no lack of confidence in where he stood. When asked about White on The Ariel Helwani Show, he said the relationship remained intact and added: “I think I’m way better than everyone as a promoter.” He also quickly drew the line at which of his players could be vulnerable, comparing Benn with Anthony Joshua: “For many reasons they cannot be mentioned in the same breath. Joshua is a different class and loyalty.”

Warren took a different route. In February, The Telegraph reported that Warren’s Queensberry was preparing legal action against TKO and Sela, claiming about $1 billion in lost income on the grounds that it should have been part of Zuffa’s work. The move underscored how far alliances had moved. Alalshikh had spent the previous two years inviting Hearn and Warren to major events in Saudi Arabia; instead, he now seems focused on Zuffa.

Sky Sports and DAZN division

The transmission map shows the division most clearly. Zuffa Boxing 07 airs on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and streams on Paramount+ in the US and Canada under the auspices of long-term contract with Sky Sports announced in March. Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy and Top Rank are available on DAZN, with Matchroom extending its deal with DAZN to 30 shows per year until 2031. British fans now follow promoters by both platform and fighter. The pattern harkens back to Hearn’s career, when his exclusive deal with Sky Sports in 2012 prompted rival promoters to join forces against Matchroom.

Question about the belt

The British Boxing Board of Control has been regulating professional boxing in the UK since 1929 and the June 6 Charter falls under its regulations. This strangely conflicts with Zuffa’s goal of establishing its own championship in each division. A representative of Zuffa approached the Board regarding recognition of its belt in the UK. Secretary-General Robert Smith said the governing body works with the five existing sanctioning bodies and has “no plans to add any more”, while leaving room to consider a formal, evidence-based application. The same question arose in the United States, where Zuffa’s first cruiserweight belt, won by Jai Opetaia in March, was treated as a souvenir item because the Muhammad Ali Act prohibits promoters from issuing their own world titles.

One card, three TKO marks

The clearest sign of what Zuffa can offer that a time-honored promoter cannot is its fight support program. Zuffa Boxing has announced a VIP meet and greet for the Bournemouth card, which will feature WWE performers Joe Hendry and Finn Balor alongside UFC fighters Lone’er Kavanagh, Modestas Bukauskas and Shauna Bannon, and the package includes a post-fight photo opportunity in the ring. In addition to its boxing operations, TKO owns the UFC and WWE and can move talent between all three properties to create an event, an option not available to Matchroom or Queensberry.

British surnames June 6

The Bournemouth card is now stocked with domestic fighters under the Zuffa banner. The cruiserweight fight teams Jack Massey with Chev Clark, and the bill includes recent signings such as Scottish middleweight Sam Hickey, welterweight Alex MacMillan and featherlight heavyweight Leon Hughes. Bournemouth-born Lee Cutler will make his second appearance at his hometown event, with Irish challenger Stevie McKenna, who conceded a decision defeat to Cutler last December, fighting American veteran Casey James Streeter. For several of these players, June 6 marks their first promotional appearance and an early indication of how quickly Zuffa intends to build a British squad.

White said Zuffa is ahead of schedule and could host as many events as the UFC by 2027. Bournemouth is the first card in the first market covered by this plan. How the line-up, broadcaster and regulations hold up in the UK will influence what the promotion looks like as it spreads to the rest of the world.

Devin Haney won the WBO welterweight title in November, but “The Dream” was unable to agree to his first defense.

Now it looks like the American is ready to face the undefeated former champion.

Haney dethroned Brian Norman Jr in Novembernoting one of the standout performances of the year, which saw the Georgian-born operator suffer the first loss of his career after moving up from the super lightweight division.

Seven months have passed and Haney still hasn’t signed a deal to make his first title defense or unify with other 147-pound champions, despite being linked to a sought-after rematch with bitter rival Ryan Garcia and a clash with WBA titleholder Rolando Romero.

However, after being named the number one contender in the WBO welterweight division, undefeated former WBO lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis took to social media to call for a fight for Haney’s belt.

ON XHaney responded to the call by publicly accepting the proposed All-American scrap, stating, “Let’s do it KEYSHAWN.”

Let’s do it KEYSHAWN.. https://t.co/plq9hqQpBP

— Devin Haney (@Realdevinhaney) June 3, 2026

Haney had previously invited a fight following Davis’ win over Ortiz, but talks quickly died down when rumors of a potential meeting with Romero surfaced, only for the fight to fall through, reportedly due to Haney not being paid a guaranteed amount.

With Haney-Romero seemingly off the table, the door may now be open for Chorley’s Jack Catterall to take advantage and secure Romero’s ‘WBA Super’ crown after winning the WBA (regular) welterweight title last month.

Lamont “The Reaper” Roach Jr. and William “El Camarón” Zepeda will fight for the vacant WBC lightweight world title on Saturday, August 1 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, announced promoter Golden Boy. The 12-round fight will headline “The Fight,” a fresh monthly series from TNT Sports and DAZN that will air in the United States on TNT and truTV and stream globally on DAZN. Golden Boy promotes itself in cooperation with TGB Promotions and ProBox Promotions.

Roach Jr. (25-1-3, 10 KO) of Washington, D.C., and Zepeda (33-1, 27 KO) of San Mateo Atenco, Mexico, arrived after back-to-back title fights without a win. Last year, Roach Jr. he has fought two majority draws: against Gervonta Davis for the WBA lightweight title in March 2025 and against Isaac Cruz at super lightweight in December 2025. Zepeda has not fought since taking a unanimous decision to Shakur Stevenson for the WBC lightweight title in July 2025, the only loss of his career.

How the title became empty

The WBC lightweight championship opened after Stevenson moved up to 140 pounds. He collected the WBO junior welterweight title from Teofimo Lopez at Madison Square Garden on January 31becoming a four-division champion, after which the WBC declared his 135-pound title vacant. The sanctioning body later ordered Roach Jr. and Zepeda meet for the belt.

“We have been working demanding since my last fight,” Zepeda said in a press release. “We are at the top of the lightweight division and we know that any opponent at this level is a sedate challenge. Once again we have been given the opportunity to fight for the world championship and we are ready to show the world who exactly “El Camarón” Zepeda is. “

Roach Jr., who won the WBA super featherweight title with a split decision victory over Héctor García in November 2023, billed the fight as the next step in his class. “This is my fourth consecutive world title fight in a different weight class,” he said. “Without a doubt, I am bringing boxing back and fighting for the top spot.”

“William Zepeda has fully deserved this opportunity,” said Oscar De La Hoya, president and CEO of Golden Boy. “Over the years, he has taken on every challenge put before him and has established himself as one of the most thrilling fighters in boxing with his relentless pressure, incredible work rate and fan-friendly style.”

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, June 5 at 10 a.m. PT on AXS.com and GoldenBoy.com for $300, $200, $150, $75, $50 and $30 plus applicable fees. Pre-sale will start on Thursday, June 4. Details about the card and credentials will be announced in the coming weeks.