Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing have signed a five-year deal with streaming service DAZN, ending their exclusive deal with Sky Sports in the UK, Mike Coppinger of The Athletic has reported.
The deal which will ensure DAZN becomes Matchroom’s exclusive UK broadcaster will come into effect from July 1, with two more shows on their deal with Sky Sports in the UK beginning with Terri Harper’s world Super Featherweight unification clash with Hyun Mi Choi on May 15 and concluding with a show in June which has yet to be announced.
Hearn’s exclusive broadcast deal with Sky Sports, which was signed in 2012 and extended for another six years in 2015 was expiring this year.
According to The Athletic, whilst the bulk of Matchroom’s biggest names, including the likes of Katie Taylor, Lawrence Okolie and Conor Benn will be shown on the streaming service, Hearn’s two biggest Heavyweight drawers in unified world champion, Anthony Joshua and WBC interim heavyweight champion, Dillian Whyte will not be part of the switch and any move to DAZN would have to be negotiated separately.
Hearn, who was announced as Matchroom Chairman on Tuesday signed an initial deal with DAZN in 2018 to stage 16 shows per year in the USA, whilst 16 of his UK shows would be shown on DAZN, reportedly worth $1bn over eight years.
DAZN announced their global launch in October, streaming in the UK for £1.99 a month, launching officially on December 1, showing Gennady Golovkin’s IBF Middleweight title defence against Kamil Szeremeta, Canelo’s Alvarez victory over Callum Smith, Ryan Garcia’s knockout of Luke Campbell and this past Saturday’s match-up between Demetrius Andrade and Liam Williams.
The deal will not affect a potential undisputed Heavyweight title fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, with Joshua not part of the new DAZN pact, which could take place in the summer with reports this week suggesting it will be staged in Saudi Arabia.
SOURCES: Eddie Hearn has struck a five-year deal that makes DAZN the exclusive broadcaster of Matchroom Boxing in UK, ending Hearn’s tenure with Sky Sports.
Nine-figure pact begins in July. Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte aren’t included. Free-to-read:https://t.co/hR2o2vqb1L
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) April 21, 2021
Sky Sports Box Office and BT Sport Box Office are set to broadcast from the UK for the first time ever, with DAZN showing the fight worldwide except in the USA where it will reportedly be an ESPN+ pay-per-view, with Fury exclusive to ESPN in the USA.
