(November 5th) Zuffa Boxing announced that British light heavyweight contender Zak Chelli, the fighting schoolteacher from Fulham, London, has signed a multi-fight contract with the company.

Chelli, 28, joins Zuffa’s loaded 175-pound roster riding a wave of momentum. In May, he authored one of the biggest upsets in modern boxing history, overcoming an early deficit to knock out two-division world champion David Morrell in the 10th round.

Chelli’s Zuffa Boxing debut will be announced shortly.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity. Zuffa is looking for fighters that they believe in, and I’m proud to be in that category,” Chelli said. “I’m thrilled that my fights will once again be shown on Sky Sports. I’ve fought on Sky many times, and they’ve always treated me well.

“I want to make the fights that the fans want to see. I’m ready to fight anyone, anytime, anywhere. I’ve proven that throughout my career.”

Chelli (17-3-1, 9 KOs) turned pro as a super middleweight in 2017, capturing English, British, and Commonwealth honors before moving up to light heavyweight last year. He won the English title in his first fight at 175 pounds before accepting the fight with the heavily favored Morrell on two weeks’ notice.

Chelli, who works as a supply teacher at a secondary school in Surrey, stunned the boxing world with his Rocky-like KO for the ages. He hurt Morrell in the ninth round before finishing the fight with a right hand with 36 seconds remaining in the 10th.

Zuffa Boxing, the joint venture between Dana White, TKO Group and Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, is making major waves in the professional boxing industry yet again.

Officially launched in January 2026, the new promotion seeks to introduce a centralized, UFC-style league model featuring a single world title and unified internal rankings. Their partnership with Turki Alalshikh, along with a distribution deal with Paramount+, is shifting the sport’s power dynamic.

The company is headquartered in Las Vegas and aspires to revolutionize the boxing landscape by applying a centralized, promoter-driven model similar to the UFC’s approach, including single belts and unified matchmaking for major titles. White first floated the Zuffa Boxing idea following the 2017 Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather crossover event, citing the need to modernize and streamline boxing promotions, but it wasn’t until June 2025 that the brand was officially launched through high-profile partnerships and funding from Saudi Arabia.

The inaugural Zuffa Boxing event is the blockbuster September 13, 2025, Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford super-fight, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, and streaming globally on Netflix—marking a first for a major boxing match of this scale. The promotion is expected to stage 12 events annually for five years, totaling 60 shows, with four of these billed as “mega-fights” similar to the Canelo-Crawford clash.

Zuffa Boxing's first numbered event was Zuffa Boxing 01, held on January 23, 2026, at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The inaugural show was headlined by Irish middleweight prospect Callum Walsh against Carlos Ocampo, with Walsh winning by unanimous decision.

Media rights negotiations are ongoing, with Paramount Plus as the leading contender for a broadcast deal in the U.S., while select events may continue behind pay-per-view, but the majority could stream widely and even air on CBS. Zuffa Boxing has already organized a prospect-filled card before its first main event, showcasing its commitment to developing new talent alongside marquee matchups.

Through its social media presence and engagement, Zuffa Boxing has signaled a fully modern approach to promotion, with global streaming, high-profile partnerships, and a strong connection to UFC infrastructure and talent. This new venture represents one of the most ambitious attempts yet to reshape professional boxing, bringing together some of combat sports’ biggest players and promising regular major events, innovative matchmaking, and a unified promotional vision.