Anthony Joshua signs new deal committing to Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing for the rest of his career September 21, 2021 British boxing superstar Anthony Joshua has ended speculation about a split from Matchroom by committing to a new deal with the promoter for the rest of his career. Joshua signed the contract today, five days before his heavyweight world title defence against Oleksandr Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. “I have heard that [...]
American Airlines reject Amir Khan claims, saying boxer ‘refused to comply’ September 20, 2021 American Airlines has rejected claims by Amir Khan that he was escorted from a flight in the US by police “for no reason”, saying the British boxer “refused to comply” with multiple requests by the airline’s crew. In a video posted on Twitter, Khan said he was trying to fly to a training camp in [...]
DAZN to quadruple prices for UK subscribers weeks after luring boxing promoter Matchroom from Sky in £100m deal August 31, 2021 Sports streaming service DAZN has announced a four-fold increase in its monthly subscription fee for UK users. The platform will increase in price to £7.99 per month from the end of September, it told customers today. DAZN, which owns premium boxing rights, launched in the UK at an introductory price of £1.99 eight months ago. [...]
Tyson Fury trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder – and $30m payday – set to be postponed until October July 9, 2021 The third fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, which was set to earn the British boxer at least $30m, is set to be postponed. The BBC and ESPN reported that Fury tested positive for Covid-19 this week, forcing the fight scheduled for 24 July in Las Vegas to be shelved. It is likely to [...]
Anthony Joshua becomes shareholder in CBD firm Love Hemp June 21, 2021 British boxer Anthony Joshua has become a shareholder in Love Hemp, the UK’s leading CBD and hemp products supplier. Joshua has signed a three-year endorsement deal from next month when he will take up the role of international ambassador for the brand. Love Hemp will also collaborate with the two-time heavyweight champion on a licenced [...]
Russian boss of Gazprom-backed boxing body AIBA turns to man who lifted lid on Russian state-sponsored doping to lead corruption probes June 17, 2021 Richard McLaren, the Canadian law professor and sports investigator, is best known for exposing Russia for state-sponsored doping. So eyebrows were raised this week when it emerged that McLaren had been hired by one of Russia’s most powerful sports administrators. Umar Kremlev has called on McLaren Global Sports Solutions as part of his bid to [...]
Matchroom leaves Sky Sports for DAZN in five-year, £100m deal – but Anthony Joshua fights aren’t included June 3, 2021 Boxing promoter Matchroom has signed a deal with DAZN to show its fights exclusively on the sports streaming platform in the UK and Ireland. The five-year agreement, reported to be worth more than £100m, begins in July when Matchroom’s contract with Sky Sports ends. The deal also cements the relationship between Matchroom and DAZN, which [...]
Week in Sportbiz: Succession at Matchroom; PGA Tour’s $40m fame fund; taking knee banned at Tokyo 2020; India warms to The Hundred; NFL’s paint job April 23, 2021 It’s been a busy week for shifts in power at the top of sports organisations, splitting with old partners and signing megabucks new deals. Away from European football’s attempt to eat itself, Matchroom announced that founder Barry Hearn would be stepping down after 40 years at the helm. Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn is succeeding [...]
Week in Sportbiz: Premier League still No1 in China; Leeds boss keeping busy; Matchroom’s media move; Wimbledon optimism; London 2012 gold for sale January 28, 2021 The Premier League’s ongoing dispute with a Chinese broadcaster doesn’t appear to have affected its popularity in the Far East. England’s top division has been named the most popular football league in China by a new report ranking digital performance. It had 80 per cent more engagement on leading social media platform Weibo than La [...]
How Covid is affecting sport in 2021: Will Premier League, Tokyo Olympics, England’s Test series in Sri Lanka and the Lions tour go ahead? January 5, 2021 The first wave of Covid-19 saw professional sport grind to a halt as countries across the world imposed lockdowns. With cases on the rise again, particularly in England, some sports – including football, rugby union, boxing and snooker – have already been disrupted. So how is elite sport in 2021 being affected by the pandemic [...]