Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn
Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn

Boxing news: Eddie Hearn's Matchroom leaving Sky Sports for DAZN and what it means for UK fight fans


One of boxing’s worst-kept secrets was finally confirmed on Thursday when Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing announced a new five-year global deal with DAZN.

The blockbusting contract means Matchroom is now tied to only one broadcaster worldwide, including the UK. It ends a long and successful boxing partnership between Hearn and Sky Sports.

DAZN has reportedly paid a nine-figure sum to entice the biggest promoter in one of boxing’s hottest markets away from Sky. Both parties described the deal as “game-changing”.

The partnership changes boxing’s TV landscape in the UK in a big way. Furyjoshua.com assesses why it is happening, and what it means for domestic fight fans...

What does Matchroom's DAZN deal mean for Eddie Hearn?

Hearn described this as “a monumental decision” - Matchroom had been working with Sky Sports in boxing for around 25 years. It wasn’t a relationship to leave lightly.

On the downside, Matchroom will lose the huge promotional power which comes with broadcasting fights on Sky. In particular that well-oiled pay-per-view machine which drives so much revenue.

But Hearn has been quick to point out the profile he has already built for himself and Matchroom in the UK. And now crucially he will have the two things he craved to build a behemoth - budget and control.

Eddie Hearn Breaks Down Details Of Global Matchroom Deal With DAZN

This contract gives Hearn massive spending power to make the best fights, it also gives him control over fight night and content production. Something in recent weeks he had constantly stated would be a key factor in his next UK TV deal.

The recently-created Matchroom Media is producing more and more original content - not just around fight night itself but also behind-the-scenes.

Hearn has promised incredible shows and a ground-breaking presentation team on fight nights, allied to high-level shoulder programming.

He also believes the budget which comes with the DAZN deal means he will no longer have to do as many UK PPV shows. Something he has often been criticised for.

The DAZN pact puts an exclamation mark on an incredible few months for Hearn. He has promoted the last three fights for reigning pound-for-pound king Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and also taken over from father Barry as Chairman of the wider Matchroom Sport group.

Right now his dream of making Matchroom THE HOME of boxing appears to be very much on track.

What does the deal mean for Sky Sports?

Right now, it leaves the dominant broadcaster in UK boxing without an exclusive dance partner from July onwards.

Given the success it has enjoyed with the sweet science, a Sky Sports without boxing would appear highly unlikely. The only question is which direction it now goes.

The smart money, for now at least, is that Sky will not align exclusively with one single promoter any more. Instead it will likely work with multiple promoters in an open marketplace allowing it to pick and choose the events it broadcasts.

What does the deal mean for DAZN?

Overnight, DAZN becomes the biggest dog in perhaps boxing’s biggest market globally.

The United States might be bigger in terms of size and population by a considerable margin. But in terms of the passion for boxing per capita, nowhere beats the UK.

The deal with Hearn means DAZN will now exclusively broadcast a minimum of 16 Matchroom UK shows globally each year along with all Matchroom shows which take place outside of the UK.

DAZN, the self-styled ‘Netflix of sports’, is owned by the UK’s richest man - Sir Leonard Blavatnik - who is worth more than £23billion if you believe the recent Sunday Times Rich List.

The streaming platform has the deepest of pockets, something which allowed it to come through a global pandemic and arrive at the other side in apparently stronger shape.

DAZN’s first move when it launched in the US market in 2018 was to sign Hearn and Matchroom to an eight-year deal worth a reported $1billion.

When it launched a global service which included the UK in December 2020, a UK pact with Matchroom was always the next logical step.

For the last six months, Matchroom's UK shows have appeared on Sky in the UK and on DAZN outside the UK. Hearn himself has admitted that serving two paymasters was not easy, but now that problem no longer exists.

Perhaps the biggest selling point for DAZN in the UK so far (apart from the likes of ‘Canelo’ fighting on its platform) has been the price point. Just £1.99 per month.

Hearn admitted this week that price would eventually rise - but not yet, and not he claims by as much as people think. It will remain in place for the second season of Fight Camp (July 31, August 7, August 14) at least.

In terms of the eventual landing spot, anything which keeps the monthly cost down to single digits (pounds) would seem sensible and still grow DAZN revenues significantly.

It’s a strategy which has worked nicely for Netflix and Amazon Prime - not a bad blueprint.

Where does this leave Anthony Joshua?

Anthony Joshua on his way to a stoppage win
Anthony Joshua's fights are not included in Eddie Hearn’s new partnership with DAZN

The deal changes nothing for AJ right now, as his fights are NOT INCLUDED in Hearn’s new partnership with DAZN.

The IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion has one fight left on his own UK deal with Sky, which is expected to be a title defence against Oleksandr Usyk in August.

After that there is likely to be a massive scramble for the 2012 Olympic champion’s services. The next deal, all being well, will include that long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury, so the potential value to a TV network is off the charts.

Joshua has been a pay-per-view cash cow for Sky - his rematch win over Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019 produced record domestic revenues with 1.6million buys at £24.95. So a renewal would absolutely not be out of the question.

Hearn has admitted that DAZN will want to be major players to sign Joshua, and the interesting factor here is what the resulting model would be. DAZN right now doesn’t do PPV while any Joshua fight almost demands it. So how do all parties make it work financially?

How does the deal affect a Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua fight?

It doesn’t really, as yet. As stated, AJ is not included in this Matchroom/DAZN pact.

The one area of Fury vs Joshua negotiations it seemed the respective camps were most confident of was how the UK TV rights would work.

Both Sky Sports (Joshua) and BT Sport (Fury) had been expected to broadcast any unification match between the two Brits.

The thing that could change things though is Joshua’s next broadcast deal. The terms of that arrangement will determine any knock-on impact for the biggest fight in British boxing history.

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