Zuffa Boxing makes two new signings amid Top Rank trouble

Zuffa Boxing have recently joined the boxing world and begun staging events regularly in their first few weeks. They also made a statement by signing IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia. Dan Rafael is reporting via his Fight Freaks Unite Substack that Zuffa have signed Former featherweight title challenger Otabek Kholmatov and the undefeated super featherweight fighter Andres Cortes from their troubled promotional rivals, Top Rank.

Zuffa Boxing enters the sport with strong leadership

Zuffa entered the boxing world in a blaze of publicity. The company was formed by TKO and Sela, with a leadership consisting of Dana White, the president and CEO of UFC; Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, and owner of The Ring.

The rest of their leadership is composed of Sela managing director and CEO Dr Rakan AlHarthy, and WWE president Nick Khan, who is also a TKO board member. 

Zuffa Boxing entered the sport in a big way, helping to stage the megafight between Canelo and Terence Crawford.

Zuffa sign two new fighters amid Top Rank trouble

Former featherweight title challenger Otabek Kholmatov (13-1, 12 KOs) was recently released by Top Rank and has joined Zuffa Boxing. 

Kholmatov suffered his only loss against Raymond Ford, when he suffered an ACL tear during the opening stages of his bout with Ford. The Uzbek fighter did return to action, defeating Jason Canoy Manigos by final-round TKO.

Zuffa has also signed unbeaten super featherweight fighter Andres Cortes (24-0, 13 KOs). The 28-year-old American had his contract expire with Top Rank, with the promotional company deciding not to offer an extension because they had no upcoming events to put him on. Worryingly, Dan Rafael also revealed that Top Rank recently laid off some employees, as the company continues without a media partner since the end of their deal with ESPN, which expired on July 31.