British promotion BOXXER sued Zuffa Boxing and Sky Sports in the English courts in June 2026, alleging that the Dana White-led venture signed fighters who were still contractually bound to BOXXER. The BOXXER vs. Zuffa Boxing lawsuit landed on the eve of Zuffa’s first UK show and asked the court for urgent injunctive relief to keep two of those fighters off the card.1BBC Sport. Boxxer Seeks Injunctive Relief Against Zuffa Boxing and Sky Sports
The Fighters at the Center of the Claim
BOXXER, run by Ben Shalom, names two fighters in the lawsuit: former cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith and Scottish middleweight Sam Hickey.
The Billam-Smith dispute turns on what happened after his BOXXER contract ended. Billam-Smith has said the deal expired at the close of 2025, and Zuffa Boxing signed him on April 13, 2026. BOXXER’s position is that even after the formal end date, the promotion held a matching right on any outside offer during an exclusive negotiating window. Shalom said Zuffa “ignored that we had a matching right on Chris Billam-Smith.”2Yardbarker. Boxxer Sues Zuffa Boxing Over Billam-Smith, Hickey Contracts
Hickey’s case, as BOXXER frames it, is simpler. The promotion alleges the middleweight was under a long-term contract when he announced his move to Zuffa Boxing in May 2026. BOXXER also intends to argue that heavyweight Jack Massey still owes at least one fight under his existing deal, though Massey is not a party to the suit.3Yahoo Sports. Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing Hit With Lawsuit From Boxxer Over Alleged Unlawful Contractual Interference
BOXXER asked the English courts to stop Billam-Smith and Hickey from fighting on the Zuffa Boxing 7 card in Bournemouth on June 6, 2026. Zuffa rejected the claims and ran the show as planned.1BBC Sport. Boxxer Seeks Injunctive Relief Against Zuffa Boxing and Sky Sports As of mid-June 2026, no ruling on the injunction had been publicly reported, and Zuffa Boxing had issued no formal statement on the litigation.4Sports Illustrated. Zuffa Boxing Facing Second UK Lawsuit in Four Months
Sky Sports and Shaa Wasmund as Co-Defendants
Sky Sports is named alongside Zuffa Boxing. BOXXER’s claim against the broadcaster is tied to Sky’s decision not to renew its BOXXER deal and to partner with Zuffa instead. Promoter Shaa Wasmund was added as a co-defendant, accused of helping facilitate the Zuffa-Sky agreement and of participating in what BOXXER characterizes as unlawful interference with its fighter, broadcaster, and staff contracts.3Yahoo Sports. Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing Hit With Lawsuit From Boxxer Over Alleged Unlawful Contractual Interference
Both Zuffa Boxing and Sky Sports declined to comment when the lawsuit was reported.5talkSPORT. Dana White Zuffa Boxing Ben Shalom Boxxer
The Broadcast Deal Behind the Case
BOXXER and Sky Sports had an exclusive four-year partnership signed in June 2021 and valued at £36 million.6Yahoo Sports. Boxxer Set to Announce New Broadcast Deal Following Split With Sky Sports After it expired in mid-2025, Sky did not renew. On March 18, 2026, the broadcaster announced a multi-year agreement with Zuffa Boxing as its exclusive UK and Ireland boxing broadcaster, covering at least five shows a year on British soil.7TKO Group Holdings. Sky Sports and Zuffa Boxing Announce Multi-Year Agreement for the UK and Ireland
BOXXER argues the loss of that deal was not simply competitive. Before suing Zuffa, the promotion had already gone to the High Court against its former head of boxing, John Wischhusen. In a September 2025 judgment, Mrs Justice Hill granted BOXXER an interim injunction after the promotion alleged Wischhusen had secretly corresponded with Sky Sports about a rival boxing venture while still employed by BOXXER, deleted relevant company emails (which he admitted to), and tried to recruit BOXXER staff for a competitor.8ICLR. Boxxer Limited v John Wischhusen The Times reported that the dispute involved the expiry of the £36 million Sky Sports contract and that Wischhusen denied wrongdoing.9The Times. Boxxer Accuses Executive of Sabotaging Sky Sports Broadcast Deal
In the June 2026 filing, BOXXER ties the threads together, arguing that Wasmund helped continue the pattern of interference it says Wischhusen began.
A Separate British Claim Against Zuffa
BOXXER’s suit is not the only UK legal challenge Zuffa Boxing faces. In February 2026, Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions sent letters before action to Sela and TKO Group Holdings, signaling intent to sue in the British High Court for up to $1 billion in damages over an alleged exclusivity agreement Queensberry says Sela and TKO used to build Zuffa Boxing without him.10Yahoo Sports. Frank Warren Embroiled in Potential $1 Billion Legal Dispute With Saudi Arabia’s Sela, TKO’s Zuffa Boxing Sela called the claims “unfounded” and said it is “confident that the facts will fully vindicate our position.”11Sports Illustrated. Frank Warren Set to Battle Sela and TKO Group in $1 Billion Legal Battle As of mid-2026, reporting had not confirmed a formal High Court filing; the Queensberry matter remained at the pre-action stage.12The Athletic. Frank Warren Dana White Sela Lawsuit It is a separate dispute from BOXXER’s, with different parties and a different theory.
Who Zuffa Boxing Is
Zuffa Boxing is a joint venture between TKO Group Holdings and Sela. TKO, the publicly traded parent of the UFC and WWE, is the managing partner and handles day-to-day operations.13TKO Group Holdings. Paramount Announces Landmark Media Rights Agreement With Zuffa Boxing Its leadership includes UFC president Dana White, WWE president Nick Khan, and Saudi General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh.10Yahoo Sports. Frank Warren Embroiled in Potential $1 Billion Legal Dispute With Saudi Arabia’s Sela, TKO’s Zuffa Boxing The venture launched in 2025 and moved quickly, signing fighters from rival promoters and securing the Sky Sports deal that sits at the heart of BOXXER’s complaint.14Boxing Insider. Zuffa Boxing Signs Sky Sports Deal, Caps Rapid Two-Month Expansion