Matchroom Boxing Extends Partnership with DAZN
Matchroom Boxing has confirmed an extension of its partnership with the streaming service DAZN, prolonging their collaboration until 2031. Originally starting their relationship in 2021 with a five-year agreement after departing from Sky Sports, the renewed contract ensures that prominent fighters such as Anthony Joshua, Katie Taylor, Conor Benn, Shakur Stevenson, Dmitry Bivol, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, and Ben Whittaker will continue to feature on DAZN, assuming no changes in their career paths arise due to retirements or further promotional deals.
Details of the Agreement
The announcement, made via a press release on Wednesday, specifies that the agreement applies to both the UK and US markets and is set to include over 30 boxing events worldwide each year. Matchroom Boxing’s chairman, Eddie Hearn, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating:
“DAZN is the only partner that matches our ambitions for boxing. Their global platform, investment, passion, and commitment to boxing make them the perfect partner for our fighters and events. This new deal in two of the world’s most important boxing markets reinforces our belief and trust in DAZN and the scale of what we can achieve together.”
Fighter Highlights and Future Prospects
One significant point of interest concerning Joshua is that his last professional bout occurred on Netflix rather than a traditional boxing platform, as he faced Jake Paul in December. Joshua managed to secure a victory against the social media star in a six-round contest held in Miami, shortly before suffering unfortunate injuries in a tragic car accident in Nigeria—an incident that claimed the lives of his companions Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele.
In the wake of that distressing event, Joshua’s boxing career is currently uncertain. Meanwhile, with Katie Taylor approaching the end of her career at 39, there is an increasing expectation for younger stars like Benn, Stevenson, Rodriguez, and Whittaker to become the face of Matchroom Boxing moving forward.
Stevenson, unbeaten at 28, showcased his talent with a unanimous decision win against Teofimo Lopez in January, earning him a title in his fourth weight class. Following his match, Benn stepped into Madison Square Garden to confront Stevenson.
On the other hand, Ben Whittaker, who debuted with Matchroom in November, is working his way towards a world title shot in the light-heavyweight division, having won against Benjamin Gavazi in the first round of that fight. Dmitry Bivol, who recently achieved undisputed status at light-heavyweight, is also anticipated to make his comeback to the ring later this year after recovering from injuries. Meanwhile, Jesse Rodriguez continues to rise in the ranks as a notable pound-for-pound contender.
