Multiple outlets are now reporting that Frank Warren, who heads Queensberry Promotions, has filed a lawsuit seeking roughly $1 billion in lost income against Sela and TKO Group for alleged breach of contracts.
Queensberry claims it entered into an exclusive deal with Sela back in September 2023 to offer its access and expertise, which directly lead to a Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou bout taking place. They also claim their contract with TKO Group (the parent company that owns WWE and UFC) includes
access to its online data.
Ultimately, Queensberry claims that Sela and TKO partnering to create Zuffa Boxing was done behind its back and breached the contractual terms of their agreements, depriving them of up to $1 billion in income had they been honored, as it appears that Zuffa has recently secured a media rights deal with Paramount+ that is said to be worth $100M a year for 12 cards per year.
Thus far, a Sela spokesperson has only offered this response:
“We are disappointed by the unfounded claims brought by Queensberry and Frank Warren. We reject them in their entirety and are confident that the facts will fully vindicate our position.”
How much traction this lawsuit gains remains to be seen, but it’s clear that with Zuffa being the new disruptor in the sport other businesses are fighting to maintain their positions in the market.
