BoxNation outpunches Sky for UK rights to Golovkin vs Alvarez mega fight
BoxNation has outbid Sky to win the UK broadcast rights for the highly anticipated middleweight bout between Gennady Golovkin and Saul Alvarez.
The long awaited showdown between Gennady Golovkin and Saul Alvarez will take place on 16 September
The boxing pay-TV channel, owned by promoter Frank Warren, will show the long-awaited fight between the two pound-for-pound greats on 16 September at in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Warren is understood to have closed the deal with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Promotions, who the Mexican fighter Alvarez is signed to, on Friday night (16 June).
Golovkin vs Alvarez is the most in demand, and potentially richest, fight since Floyd Mayweather fought Manny Pacquiao in 2015 and so BoxNation’s ability to defeat Sky in the bidding process represents a major coup for the broadcaster. The win was made possible by the confirmation that it would launch a new pay-per-view platform for the fight.
BoxNation’s multiyear deal with BT Sport- which began in 2017 and sees it simulcast 20 live UK events each year-means Sky’s biggest rival could potentially strike a sub-licensing agreement for the live rights.
Sky’s hold over the sport has been challenged in recent years by several leading British boxing promoters, including Frank Maloney, the Khans, Ricky Hatton and Barry McGuigan, who sided with BoxNation in an attempt to undermine Sky’s dominance, which has be helped by its deal with Matchroom.
Warren’s rival and president of Matchroom, Eddie Hearn, agreed a deal with Sky until 2021 to show up to 20 live events each year, a significant partnership for Sky given Anthony Joshua is among Matchroom’s stable of prizefighters.