“America – we have well and truly arrived, let the fun begin!”
So declared Eddie Hearn after the Matchroom supremo unveiled a BILLION dollar trans-Atlantic deal.
Matchroom Boxing and Perform Group, the digital leader in global sports media, today announced the creation of a landmark alliance and the biggest-ever deal in boxing.
The historic eight-year $1billion deal will see the joint venture, Matchroom Boxing USA, stage 16 fights a year featuring some of the sport’s biggest stars at the best venues across America.
Perform Group’s live and on-demand streaming service, DAZN, will be the exclusive US broadcast partner for the 16 US fight nights plus Matchroom’s existing 16 fight nights in the UK.
Matchroom and Perform hope it will engage a new generation of fight fans.
Hearn, managing director of Matchroom Boxing, and Simon Denyer, CEO of Perform Group, announced the joint venture at a press conference in New York.
The two companies have brokered the industry-first deal so that fans can see the fights how and when they want to, anytime and anywhere.
Anthony Joshua is Matchroom’s main man and Katie Taylor their leading female brand, but it could mean North-East stars like Josh Kelly and Lewis Ritson, who will be headlining the up-coming Newcastle show, becoming big hits in the USA.
“This is a historic moment for Matchroom and the sport of boxing,” said Hearn, who promoted Taylor’s world title won in New York recently.
“Since our expansion to the US, we have been looking for a partner that shares our vision and that can give us the volume of dates and rights fees required to build the strongest stable in world boxing and take it to a new level.
“This is a dream scenario for us, we can build a formidable team of fighters and also put our stamp on events from production to talent to in arena experience.
“Our plan is to make DAZN the home of boxing and with 32 big fight nights already confirmed from the US and UK we are nicely on our way.
“America – we have well and truly arrived, let the fun begin!”
Matchroom has been the dominant force in British boxing for the last five years, having signed an exclusive contract with Sky Sports. It was a contract which runs until 2021.
Words: Roy Kelly Main picture: Ian Horrocks/ Matchroom
