Anthony Joshua promoter Matchroom launches $1billion DAZN deal in US

London, May 11: Matchroom Boxing, the promoter behind unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, has announced a $1billion broadcast partnership in the United States with global sports media company Perform.

The launch of the joint venture, Matchroom Boxing USA, represents the biggest rights deal in boxing history.

An eight-year partnership will see 16 fight nights a year staged in America, plus Matchroom’s existing 16 dates in the UK, shown on Perform’s live and on-demand streaming service, DAZN.

The announcement comes as Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn continues negotiations over a possible heavyweight blockbuster between WBA, IBF and WBO champion Joshua and America's WBC king Deontay Wilder.

"This is a historic moment for Matchroom and the sport of boxing," Hearn said at the launch event in New York. "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 and 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!"

Proud to announce the largest TV rights deal in the history of boxing with landmark bn broadcast deal with @PerformGroup DAZN platform for 16 US shows per year for 8 Years! #TheFutureOfBoxing pic.twitter.com/0saM4Z9Hxy

— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) May 10, 2018

None of the fights on DAZN will be shown using the pay-per-view model, which has dominated the US fight market for decades, with viewers able to pay a monthly fee without any commitment to a long-term contract.

Matchroom made its initial venture into the US market six months ago and its two Stateside fight cards so far have been headlined by Brooklyn's former WBA middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs.

Joshua's previous three bouts in the UK have been huge sold-out stadium shows, with wins against Carlos Takam and Joseph Parker at Cardiff's Principality Stadium following his sensational 11th-round stoppage of Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley last April.

Source: OPTA