DAZN’s Global Success and Matchroom’s Shift in Priorities

Although DAZN continues to enjoy another successful year globally, British fans are left wondering whether they have received value for money from Matchroom on the platform.

Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom has been one of, if not the biggest, driving forces in British boxing over the last decade—that is a fact! Since the move to DAZN last year, however, it feels as though their priorities have shifted slightly. More emphasis seems to lie globally, as opposed to focusing on the UK market.

British Fight Nights on DAZN: A Decline?

British Saturday night fight cards on DAZN are considerably less frequent than they were when Matchroom’s fights aired on Sky Sports. With a monthly subscription model and now an additional PPV (Pay-Per-View) option for certain fights, it’s understandable why British fans aren’t entirely convinced about the move to DAZN.

Famed for propelling the careers of British stars such as Anthony Joshua, Kell Brook, Callum Smith, Josh Warrington, and Tony Bellew, big Saturday fight nights were once guaranteed under Matchroom on Sky. It was a fantastic platform for young British talent to become household names. But has the global market now become the priority?

Matchroom’s Global Expansion

Since moving to DAZN, Matchroom has delivered marquee matchups such as AJ vs. Usyk 2, Canelo vs. GGG 3, Canelo vs. Bivol, Taylor vs. Serrano, and Estrada vs. Chocolatito 3—all in 2022. Matchroom has undeniably become a global force in boxing.

However, as Matchroom expands globally, the void left in British boxing has been filled by more frequent fight cards from Queensbury Promotions on BT and BOXXER on Sky Sports. Both platforms showcase a wealth of British talent, with BOXXER especially focused on developing young UK fighters like Adam Azim (7-0, 6 KOs).

Lawrence Okolie’s Criticism of Matchroom

More attention has been drawn to this issue recently with Lawrence Okolie (18-0, 14 KOs), who has been openly critical of his promoters at Matchroom as well as his management team, 258 Management. While the reasons remain unclear, it appears that Okolie may be heading to BOXXER, with promoter Ben Shalom admitting in recent interviews that he has held talks with the fighter.

Eddie Hearn has stated that Okolie has one fight left on his contract, though Shalom has said he does not believe this to be true. With differing views, this dispute could even end up in court!

Other Fighters Making the Jump to BOXXER

Okolie would not be the first British star to make the promotional jump back to Sky Sports. Natasha Jonas (13-2, 8 KOs) moved in 2021 and has gone on to win three world titles in the past year. She, along with her team, has also been openly critical of how they were treated under their previous promotional outfit. Lerrone Richards (16-0, 3 KOs) is another fighter who signed a one-fight deal with BOXXER after leaving Matchroom.

Matchroom Still Attracting British Talent

On the flip side, Matchroom can still clearly attract young British talent. Recent signings include Team GB’s Mark Dickenson and Pat McCormack, both of whom fought in 6-round bouts on the Dillian Whyte vs. Jermaine Franklin undercard, each securing a points decision victory.

When Matchroom does stage a British fight card, they still draw large crowds by putting on strong undercards to support their main events. This was evident on a weekend when Matchroom, Queensbury, BOXXER, and Wasserman all held shows in London. Eddie Hearn’s card clearly attracted the most interest, and it appeared they could have had more fans than the other events combined!

Conclusion: Matchroom’s Role in British Boxing

With all this in mind, it’s clear that Matchroom still plays a significant role in the British boxing scene. However, it would be great to see them refocus on providing more prime-time events for UK fans.

As BOXXER steps in as a platform for up-and-coming talent to gain exposure and Queensbury continues to deliver solid fight cards, British boxing fans can look forward to a promising future with plenty of choices as we head into 2023.

Follow NoSmokeBoxing on X