Garcia-Benn Preview

 On August 22nd, Teofimo Lopez emerged victorious in becoming a three-division world champion when he scored a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision over WBA World Welterweight champion Rolando Romero at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. It was that fight that this observer speculated prior to it taking place, could have been the unofficial start of a four-boxer box-off as there was another world title fight that would take place in the same venue a few short weeks after Lopez ultimately defeated Romero. The second bout will be for the WBC World Welterweight championship as champion Ryan Garcia looks to make the first defense of his world title for the first time against top Welterweight contender Conor Benn in a twelve round bout that can be seen in the United States on digital subscription general entertainment network Paramount+ and internationally on digital subscription sports streaming DAZN either as a standalone pay-per-view option or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. 

What makes this fight interesting beyond it being the first title defense for Garcia, a fighter who has had some setbacks along the way in his career, but one who has evolved into one of the top stars in the sport of Boxing, is in this case he’s going against a fighter in Benn that not only has the lineage being the son of the legendary two-division world champion Nigel Benn, but Conor Benn has spent his recent fights fighting well above the 147lb. Welterweight division, having competed in two fights against Chris Eubank Jr., the son of his father’s rival Chris Eubank Sr. with those bouts taking place in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. Prior to those bouts, in which Benn went 1-1 against Eubank Jr., he was a career Welterweight and was on the verge of challenging for a world title before Garcia got his opportunities. The question here is after having gone up three weight classes for his last two fights, what condition will he be in after coming back down in weight for this world title opportunity.

There have been times throughout history where fighters either after having won world titles at higher weights or looking for an opportunity to challenge for a world title after competing at higher weights, have come back down in weight with not so successful results. Two notable examples this observer has thought of in recent days as I prepared to pen this column was first in February 1991, the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard  after winning world titles from the 147lb. Welterweight division to the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division, moved down in weight after last competing in December 1989 in defense of his WBC Super-Middleweight world championship in his third fight against his longtime rival Roberto Duran, chose to take on WBC Jr. Middleweight world champion Terry Norris inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. From the opening bell, Norris administered a beating to Leonard, dropping him twice throughout the twelve round world championship bout and earning a wide unanimous decision victory to retain his title. After the fight right in the ring after the decision was announced, Leonard announced to the crowd in attendance that this would be his final fight and retired for six years before making another ill-fated combat in March 1997 when at age forty, he suffered the first knockout of his career when he was stopped in five rounds by the late great Hector “Macho” Camacho in five rounds inside the legendary Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. Leonard, as he had done after the loss to Norris, retired following being stopped by Camacho, never to fight again.

A second example came in March 2003 where Roy Jones, a fighter who won world titles from the 160lb. Middleweight division to the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division moved up to challenge WBA World Heavyweight champion John Ruiz for his world title and scored a dominant twelve round unanimous decision to become a Heavyweight world champion and in doing so, became the first former Middleweight champion to successfully move up to Heavyweight and win a world title since Bob Fitzsimmons in 1897. As historic as that accomplish was and remains, following that fight, despite Jones not really having anything else to prove and being in a position where he could have retired with an unmatched legacy, he was still a unified Light-Heavyweight world champion at the time he beat Ruiz and opted to move back down in weight to defend his title against Antonio Tarver later in 2003. Jones looked very sluggish and struggled to retain his title in a controversial decision in November 2003. The decision, that many felt should have gone Tarver’s way, fueled demand for an immediate rematch in May 2004. In that rematch, Tarver scored a second round one punch knockout of Jones, and from that point until Jones retired, having competed in his last official fight in 2023, was never the same fighter and his reflexes, punch resistance, and reaction time were clearly compromised after that knockout loss. Whether that was due to moving back down in weight after defeating Ruiz, or the effect of the knockout at the hands of Tarver in the second fight of what became a trilogy is a subject that will be debated by Boxing fans and historians such as yours truly. If one were to ask my opinion on the subject with regard to Jones, I believe it was a combination of both the drop back down in weight as well as the first of what became five knockouts Jones would go on to suffer throughout the remainder of his career that contributed to his decline.

In this case, we are talking about a fighter in Conor Benn that is a lot closer to his physical prime than either Leonard or Jones were when they opted to move back down in weight. Whether or not it will have negative physical effects in this fight or moving beyond this fight remains to be seen. The loss of mass that one puts on as they are preparing to move up in weight is something to consider as this fight approaches, though the fact that Benn is closer to his prime might be to his benefit in that his body might be able to respond better than both Leonard and Jones were as in addition to age and moving up in weight throughout their careers, both had been through their share of grueling battles, which no doubt contributed to their decline.

In terms of the fight itself, both Garcia and Benn have shown that they can do a little of everything and each have the type of explosive punching power that if they connect, they can end a fight with either hand. What this fight will come down to in my eyes is who will be able to take the initiative and whether they will be able to maintain that pace for however long the fight lasts. 

Whether or not this fight does indeed lead to a showdown later this year with the recently crowned WBA Welterweight world champion Teofimo Lopez also remains to be seen. With Lopez having put on a stellar performance a few short weeks ago, however, it will be up to Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn to take the attention off of Lopez and put it on themselves. If that translates into a great fight, even better for Boxing as a whole. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Garcia vs. Benn takes place on Saturday, September 12th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen in the United States on general entertainment subscription streaming network Paramount+ beginning at 4PM ET/1PM PT and will be included with a Paramount+ subscription.

For more information about Paramount+ including schedules, list of compatible devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ParamountPlus.com. 

Internationally, the card can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN either as a standalone pay-per-view option or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. For more information about DAZN including schedules,list of compatible streaming devices, platforms,Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times and region specific pricing in your area, to subscribe or purchase this event as a standalone offering please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved. 

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Itauma-Hrgovic: A Vacant World Championship As The Transition Of The Heavyweight Division Continues

 Following longtime World Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk’s victory over Rico Verhoeven in May of this year, he chose to relinquish the various versions of world titles he held as he appears to be nearing retirement after one more fight against a yet unnamed opponent. This has led to a change and shuffling in the Heavyweight division. Next among the bouts to occur in an attempt to fill vacancies in the division will come on Saturday, August 29th where the vacant International Boxing Federation World Heavyweight championship will be on the line when undefeated hot rising contender Moses Itauma and top contender Filip Hrgovic will meet at the O2 Arena in London, England. A twelve round bout that will determine the next world champion in the division that can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. 

This encounter was already made prior to the decision by Usyk to relinquish his titles before facing a yet unnamed opponent before retirement, and was to be another test for the hot rising Itauma towards eventually challenging for a world title. In a sense, the politics that be in the sport, along with the decision of the previous unified world champion of the division has opened several opportunities for contenders who were in the pipeline to challenge Usyk to fight for world titles or be named champion if they were in mandatory challenger positions. Among those fighters are Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic. While Usyk’s decision has accelerated an opportunity for Itauma that seemed as though it might have been nearing, perhaps in 2027, it does not make the test that he is likely to get from the more experienced Hrgovic. 

Much like Itauma, who will enter the fight unbeaten in fourteen professional fights with twelve of those wins coming via knockout, Filip Hrgovic began his career in a similar way, scoring several quick knockouts against opposition that ranged from overmatched to fairly experienced. As his level of competition increased, however, Hrgovic saw his momentum stall and he has suffered a setback along the way. That setback, which came to future two-time World Heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, the current holder of the WBO world championship in the division, did not hurt Hrgovic’s standing as a top contender as he was stopped due to a severe cut in eight rounds. Entering this fight with a record of 20-1, with 15 Knockouts, Hrgovic has rebounded to win his last three fights since that bout against Dubois in June 2024.

Stylistically, this fight could be a short, but explosive encounter. This is due to both fighters having come forward pressure styles and each being more than willing to engage with their opponents. While this makes for an exciting contest for the viewer, this could be the test that some have been looking for, for Itauma at this stage in his career. It is important to keep in mind that as devastating as Itauma has been in registering a career knockout percentage of nearly 86%, including former world title challenger Dillian Whyte and top contender Jermaine Franklin among his victims, he has been pushed rather quickly up the ladder of contention and it can at times be easy to overlook that he has only had fourteen professional fights and has yet to be put in a situation where he has had to take a significant punch, and as such, he has not been able to show that he is able to withstand punching power from an opponent and can recover from being stunned, hurt, or even knocked down. 

Although this can not at this moment be viewed as a potential red flag for Itauma because it concerns questions of what happens if he is put in those type of situations because the answers are unknown at this point, it is a scenario that many fighters who are labeled “Knockout Artists” as Itauma has been. Whether or not the answers to those questions come in this fight remains to be seen. For his part Filip Hrgovic can say that his one loss came as a result of a cut and he was able to withstand what Daniel Dubois, another fighter noted for his punching power, was able to dish out. Hrgovic has also never been knocked down and does have a two inch height and three inch reach advantage over Itauma. What will also be interesting is to see if Hrgovic can withstand punches from Itauma that have dropped and knocked out previous opponents, how the twenty-one year old Itauma will respond.There will eventually come a point where no matter what Itauma is able to land, an opponent will be able to withstand it and continue fighting. Whether that comes in this fight is obviously yet to be determined.

As has been the case with bouts that have been held involving the WBA and WBO recently where previous mandatory challengers, who were named champion defended their portions of the World Heavyweight championship and in the case of the WBO, led to Daniel Dubois becoming a two-time world champion, the Heavyweight division will remain in a period that we can call approaching transition due to Usyk having yet to hang up his gloves after an illustrious career. As such, we will see whether Itauma or Hrgovic can make a convincing argument as potentially the division’s next potential central figure by becoming a world champion.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”   

Itauma vs. Hrgovic takes place on Saturday, August 29th at the 02 Arena in London, England. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN either as a standalone pay-per-view purchase for $59.99 or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription for $44.99 per month. The card will begin at 11AM ET/8PM PT with preliminary bouts, which will be followed by the main card beginning at 2PM ET/11AM PT.

(*North American Times and Pricing Only* *Card and Start Times Subject to Change.*)

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, to subscribe to DAZN Ultimate or to purchase this event separately please visit: www.DAZN.com 

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Mini Preview: Romero-Lopez

On Saturday, August 22nd, WBA World Welterweight champion Rolando Romero will make the first defense of his world title against former two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez at the T-Mobile Arenas in Las Vegas, NV. A twelve round world championship bout that can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. 

This is a fight that in some ways may be the unofficial start or a two fight box off as it will occur only weeks before WBC World Welterweight champion Ryan Garcia defends his portion of the World Welterweight championship for the first time against top Welterweight contender Conor Benn at the same arena. Ironically, Romero defeated Garcia in Times Square in New York City in May of last year for what became the vacant WBA world championship in the Welterweight division. Now over a year later, both fighters are atop the Welterweight division and the possibility of a rematch where the stakes would be higher is obviously there. For Romero, first he must contend with Teofimo Lopez.

Lopez is coming off losing a twelve round unanimous decision to Shakur Stevenson in January in which he lost the WBO World Jr. Welterweight championship. Now eight months later, Lopez attempts to move up in weight as a former Undisputed Lightweight and former Jr. Welterweight world champion in attempting to become a world champion in a third weight division. 

What this fight will come down to in my eyes will center around which fighter will be able to set and dictate the tempo of combat. This is an encounter between two boxer/punchers who have shown the ability to do a little of everything inside the ring. There was a time, however, where Lopez, as a Lightweight, carved a reputation for being able to score quick, and often devastating knockouts. Coming off of a fight where he was bested by a master boxer in Shakur Stevenson, it will be interesting to see if Lopez takes a more aggressive approach here as Romero is also a crafty boxer that likes to give angles and most would say was able to have his way against Garcia last year by implementing such an approach where Garcia was dropped in the second round and simply could not find his rhythm throughout the fight.

As skilled as Romero has proven to be, in his two career defeats against Gervonta Davis and Issac Cruz, he has also shown vulnerability in that both Davis and Cruz were able to catch him and he was not able to stand up to either fighter’s punching power. Although Lopez has not scored a knockout/stoppage in over four years at the time this fight will take place, some will likely give the edge in terms of punching power to him and it is logical to assume that priority number one for the challenger will be to try and cut the ring off from Romero and not allow him an opportunity to be as elusive or establish a rhythm, which Garcia was unable to do when he fought the champion, but clearly worked for both Davis and Cruz when each fought him. 

What is also clear here regardless of the outcome of this fight is the Welterweight division is starting to heat up again with several intriguing bouts both that have been made and could be made in the near future. With many focusing on the fight to come in September between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, both Romero as champion and Lopez as challenger are likely looking to make a statement with their performance that could make a showdown with the winner of Garcia-Benn enticing for whomever that might be in addition to the lucrative side of the equation that will likely be substantial for all involved. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Romero vs. Lopez takes place on Saturday, August 22nd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as either a standalone pay-per-view offering for $79.99 or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription for $44.99 per month. The card will also be available at the aforementioned standalone price on DAZN on Prime Video. The card will begin at 6PM ET with free preliminary bouts followed by the main card beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT.

(*North American Start Times Only.* *Card and Start Times Subject to Change.*

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, to order this event or subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

To learn more about how to order this event or subscribe to DAZN through Prime Video channels please visit: www.PrimeVideo.com.  (*DAZN Ultimate Subscription not available through Prime Video at this time.*)

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

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DAZN Ultimate Put To It's First Big Test On July 25th Event Doubleheader

On July 25th the Boxing world will focus on Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Sydney, Australia respectively for two pay-per-view offerings that will also serve as the first significant selling point for digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as both events will be available as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. The first of the two events, which will be held in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, will feature the return of former two-time World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua as he returns to the ring for the first time since scoring a knockout of Jake Paul in December of last year as he will face Heavyweight contender Kristian Prenga in a fight scheduled for twelve rounds. 

Although Joshua frankly did what most knowledgeable Boxing insiders including those who cover the sport, like yours truly, expected in knocking out the novice boxer/promoter Paul in six rounds, Joshua’s returns comes following surviving a horrible car accident in the weeks following the fight where he lost two of his close friends. Frankly, after enduring both a tragic accident, the injuries that came with it, and the loss of two friends, it would be understandable if Joshua either chose to remain out of the ring for an extended period or if he chose to not resume his career. In some ways, this fight against a “Knockout Artist” in Prenga comes on a similar timeline as most marquee stars, as Joshua is, compete in the sport, once or twice a year.

The obvious question here not only is what condition Joshua will be in considering what he has been through, but also what Prenga will bring to the table in what could be a dangerous fight for the former world champion, who still has the goal of trying to regain a World Heavyweight championship. Kristian Prenga  will come into this encounter with a record of 20-1, with all 20 wins coming via knockout. The Albanian-born New Jersey-based Prenga has only suffered one defeat in his career when he dropped a six round decision to a  fighter named Giovanni Auriemma in October 2016. Although it was only Prenga’s third professional fight and came against a fighter who ended his career with a 2-6–2 record, Prenga has remained unbeaten in the years since. Despite all of his victories coming via knockout, he has not fought a fighter considered to be a household name. This is likely viewed as a red flag in the eyes of some  because even though Prenga has built an impressive record in terms of numbers and has never been stopped in his career, he has fought a lower caliber of opposition as compared to the former world champion Joshua. 

What could work to Prenga’s advantage, however, is Joshua has been knocked out before and has been susceptible to getting caught even in fights he has won in the past. Although it may not be expected by some, the accumulation of years competing at or near the top level of the sport for most of his career, the punishment sustained both in fights he’s lost as well as those he’s won, and the fact that Joshua is thirty-six years old, in addition to now attempting a comeback from a tragic accident are all things that need to be considered here. Boxing is after all a sport of opportunity and, despite being at a disadvantage in terms of both overall experience and skillset, sometimes all a fighter needs is an opportunity and it is indisputable that this is the biggest fight in Prenga’s career. If he should pull of an upset here, it should put him on a short list of potential world title challengers.

The second main event that will take place on July 25th brings us to Sydney, Australia where two former world champions will meet in a crossroads bout as former unified Welterweight world champion Errol Spence will return to the ring for the first time in three years to face hometown favorite and former WBO World Jr. Middleweight champion Tim Tszyu in a scheduled twelve round Middleweight bout, which can also be seen either as a standalone pay-per-view offering or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. 

This fight, which will headline a card, the first official card for the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters under their new worldwide broadcast deal with DAZN. What this fight is in more specific context is an encounter between two former world champions, each trying to reestablish themselves in the sport. For Errol Spence, who has not fought since being stopped by Terence Crawford in 2023 in a fight to fully unify the 147lb. Welterweight division at that time, the central issue that surrounds him will be both inactivity as well as what the condition of his eyes will be after spending the last several years dealing with vision problems. In the other corner will stand Tim Tszyu, the former Jr. Middleweight world champion, who while more active over the period of time in which Spence has been inactive, has also suffered some setbacks over that time, which has affected his standing in the sport including two losses to Sebastian Fundora and one loss to Bakhram Murtazaliev. The loss to Murtazaliev and the second loss to Fundora, were via stoppage and it has prompted some to question what Tszyu has left himself.

The 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division has suddenly become a commodity with Jaron Ennis recently becoming a unified world champion in the division having recently stopped previously unbeaten WBO world champion Xander Zayas to unify the WBO and vacant WBA crowns. It is logical to assume that the end goal for both Spence and Tszyu here will be to try to get into the discussion of potential challengers for Ennis. While this fight is not at the highest level the division has to offer, it is still an encounter between two of the recent stars in the sport that are trying to get back into position to challenge for another world title. 

Given the length of time Spence has been inactive and the fact that this bout, which was originally supposed to occur at a contracted weight of 158lbs., a technicality given that it is two pounds under the 160lb. Middleweight limit, it is logical to expect that Tszyu will attempt to test Spence early on in this fight. The danger for Tszyu is he has been caught before when being overly aggressive and at his best, Errol Spence was a fighter with a good mix of punching power and hand speed, Tszyu should pursue with caution if he is able to have success early. On the flip side of the equation, Spence should look to try and get a few rounds under his belt. What is known as “Ring Rust” is a very real thing for a fighter and it is unrealistic to expect that Spence will not have at least a little rust given his inactivity and the medical issues he has dealt with outside of the ring in his first return to competition in three years.

Both fights that will be showcased here on July 25th have a similar theme. Joshua is looking to get back into the Heavyweight title picture and both Spence and Tszyu are looking to get back into the world title picture as well in either the Jr. Middleweight or Middleweight divisions. Although the theme of both fights are similar in scope, some may argue that Spence and Tszyu are in a scenario where it might be win or go home. This observer will stay clear of such debates, but it does not lessen the intrigue of frankly both fights. What might follow including a planned fight for Joshua with former two-time World Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury aimed for later this year, remains to be seen.

In terms of the business side of the sport these two bouts headlining separate cards, each available either as standalone pay-per-view offerings at $60 and $80 respectively, this either as an unintended coincidence or by design will spotlight the strategy by DAZN as a subscription-based network’s new tiered approach as events like these two are offered under a DAZN Ultimate subscription, which at $44.99 per month does offer value as compared to paying just shy of $140 for these two bouts as standalone options. 

While such a subscription model is clearly aimed at the combat sports enthusiast and was no doubt implemented in response to both criticism of using the pay-per-view model as well as what were likely numbers that showed it was not a winning strategy both for the network and for promoters who insisted on using it, this observer will repeat a point he has made numerous times. It will come down to both matchmaking and which fights are aimed for an ultimate subscription as opposed to a base subscription that DAZN initially launched with in 2018. Clearly, pay-per-view on its own due to both overpricing and the frequency that it has been used has not worked for Boxing in some time, it needed to change and July 25, 2026 is the first day on the Boxing calendar since the introduction of the Ultimate tier subscription for DAZN where the value of this approach will be displayed. With more events coming through the remainder of 2026 and beyond, hopefully, both for the sport as well as its promoters who are largely congregated under one broadcast platform now, it will prove to be a winner both in its implementation as well as providing a reasonably priced alternative for consumers, and for the network, both growing and maintaining their subscriber base without much of the churn that subscription models are often submitted to.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Joshua vs. Prenga takes place on Saturday, July 25th at the Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The card is available either as a standalone pay-per-view offering for $59.99 or as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription for $44.99 per month. The broadcast will begin at 9AM ET/6AM PT.

Spence vs. Tszyu takes place on Saturday, July 25th at the Afterpay Arena in Sydney, Australia. The card is available as a standalone pay-per-view offering for $79.99 or as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription for $44.99 per month. The broadcast will begin at 9PM ET/6PM PT.

(*North American Start Times Only.*)

(*Cards and Start Times Subject to Change.*

*Both Events Available Worldwide.*

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times and region specific pricing in your area, to order these events separately or to subscribe or upgrade to a DAZN Ultimate subscription please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved. 

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PBC Joins DAZN : Why It Is A Win For Subscribers

 In April of 2018, this observer received word as I was preparing to cover two separate main events being held in the United Kingdom on April 21st of that year, Amir Khan vs. Phil Lo Greco and Carl Frampton vs, Nonito Donaire that there would be a further shock to the system in terms of the way Boxing was broadcast here in the United States following the inception of ESPN’s first direct to consumer streaming network ESPN+, (Now ESPN Unlimited), which had launched days before and in fact, it was the Khan-Lo Greco bout that ended up being the first Boxing event ever televised on the platform. The further shock that I was informed about privately was the pending entry into the United States of another direct to consumer streaming entity whose focus would largely center on Boxing, DAZN.

Although it would be a few weeks later that the network dubbed by some as the “Netflix of Sports” would hold a press conference in New York to formally announce their entry with Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn as the centerpiece attraction to serve as the network’s main promoter, upon hearing the information I was given, I began researching what DAZN, which launched in 2016, had to offer in other markets internationally. As first and foremost a Boxing lifer and combat sports aficionado, but just as a sports fan in general, when I saw the amount of content offered in various regions, particularly amongst the major sports here in the United States, I would be lying if I said my mouth did not begin to water. Obviously, I knew that a global streaming network’s available content would vary by region due to existing broadcast agreements with various networks around the world and I also knew based on years of experience in covering media broadcast rights as it relates to Boxing and other combat sports, that there was not going to be the amount of content that I had seen offered internationally upon DAZN’s U.S. launch, primarily the major sports leagues in this country. What I did see, however, was potential.

With regard to Boxing, the network offered a schedule of events from both major and regional promoters that was unparalleled in the sport. While yours truly has written extensively over the years of the benefits of the subscription-based model as compared to the pay-per-view model, which had gotten out of control before DAZN’s launch, for the purposes of this column, the focus will be centered on how DAZN has strategically put together a roster of promoters and Boxing content that frankly has never been seen before on one platform as along with Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and wider sports offerings under Matchroom Sport, the network eventually added Golden Boy Promotions under promoter and Hall of Fame fighter Oscar De La Hoya, OPI Since 82 out of Italy, the highly acclaimed World Boxing Super Series, as well as various other promoters who have appeared on the platform periodically. Most recently, the network had signed Hall of Fame promoters Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions and Bob Arum’s Top Rank, Inc. to multi-year broadcast agreements. Although having clearly established itself as the dominant broadcaster in the sport not just in the United States, but worldwide to a degree we have never seen in Boxing before, the network has not rested on its accomplishments as it continues to build to its platform. On July 9th, during the launch press conference for the upcoming WBA World Welterweight championship bout between champion Rolando Romero and former two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez an announcement was made that the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, one of the last remaining major promoters in the sport that had spent recent years as a largely pay-per-view centric promoter first through the now defunct Showtime Sports and most recently through digital streaming general entertainment network and platform Prime Video, had signed with the network on what was described as a multi-fight agreement with events being simulcast on Prime Video on a pay-per-view basis for the remainder of 2026.

In all honesty, I was not surprised when I was informed of the pending announcement as frankly, with the exception of a few obscure pay-per-view offerings promoted by independent promoters that have yet to align with DAZN, the PBC group of promoters was really the last hold out, who was attempting to continue to rely largely on what this observer has called the outdated and overpriced model of pay-per-view. Despite DAZN in the period following the global COVID-19 epidemic dipped their toes into the pay-per-view model, a decision that though understandable to an extent given the loss of revenue from the pause of live sports that occurred while the world was essentially shut down during the epidemic, I was highly critical of, which I stand by, the network has always been a subscription-based focused entity. With regard to the PBC’s recent history with Prime Video acting as a distributor for PBC pay-per-view offerings with a handful of free events for Amazon Prime members, though no one has access to how successful or not successful those events have been in terms of buys, the PBC, which launched in 2015 with its initial mission of “Free Boxing For All” with initial time buy arrangements with broadcast and cable networks, had seen its output of events year over year drop significantly as compared to when it launched. Although no one can say how successful a largely pay-per-view centric strategy was for the PBC. One could assume that continuing to rely on what became an increasingly outdated model and doing so at price points of $74 or above, may not have proven to be a winning approach for them, which could have necessitated aligning with DAZN after vocally opposing what the network was attempting to bring to the sport with a subscription-based focus for several years.

While pay-per-view still remains part of the sport, it should be noted that DAZN after testing the waters of periodically dipping its toes into the model, has reverted back to a subscription based approach with the introduction of DAZN Ultimate, a higher priced tier subscription that now includes pay-per-view offerings at no additional cost. This should be of value to many Boxing fans due to now the PBC events being available to DAZN Ultimate subscribers at no additional cost. Although it is not my intention to pen what could essentially be copy for a commercial promoting the network, a monthly or annual subscription is indeed more cost-effective for consumers as opposed to being asked to pay an inflated fee on a per-event basis, regardless of what the headline attractions of those events might be. 

The question is obviously with so many promoters on one platform does it create a monopoly and ultimately, will it serve in the best interest of both consumers and the sport? A cynical viewpoint as well as a realistic one, is Boxing does not have as many broadcasters involved in the sport in 2026 as was the case in decades past. There are several reasons for that, none of which have anything to do with the sport itself or its appeal, but have a lot to do with what became a focus on what was meant to be used for legitimate special occasions in the sport/major events, pay-per-view, which in turn gradually eroded not only the amount of content offered across both free to air broadcast television as well as cable, which over time took what would have been marquee bouts away from free television or from cable networks like HBO and Showtime, which for lack of a better term made whatever was televised on those networks seem secondary by putting the perceived major bouts in the sport behind a paywall. This in addition to consistently raising prices for such events, the frequency of which the pay-per-view model has been used, and the stalling tactics, which delayed fights of significant interest from being made and promoters and fighters refusing to come to the negotiating table for such bouts eventually it created a scenario where free to air networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox eventually bowed out of the sport and were ultimately followed by HBO and Showtime as well after both networks, who had invested significantly in Boxing over decades eventually divested and exited as both became to a significant extent casualties of corporate mergers that is still a major issue in the overall landscape of television.

It goes without saying that having less platforms actively invested in Boxing along with the over reliance on the pay-per-view model has led to where things are now for Boxing. An obvious concern is even with essential 95% of the sport’s major promoters under one global broadcast platform, is that the ways of old including a reluctance of the various promoters to work together to bring about fights of significant interest and to do so in a more reasonable timeframe than  having the public wait, at times several years, before a fight takes place where more often than not, by the time it does it leaves the public feeling very underwhelmed. There is also an obvious danger as well for DAZN in that now with a tier subscription approach, the motivation should be to try and increase long-term subscriptions, but also make it appealing for existing subscribers to stay on. There will come a point where subscription prices will have to stabilize where the ceiling of how high subscription rates can go will have to reach a ceiling or like other networks that were heavily invested in Boxing before them, DAZN may eventually find themselves making a similar decision to that of the aforementioned networks, first by divesting and then by exiting Boxing altogether. It would be a shame if that happens because the potential to grow the sport far beyond any level it has seen before and expose it to new eyes regardless of one’s economic level is there. Will this be the watershed moment where Boxing finally gets out of its own way for the good of the sport? I sincerely hope so. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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Zayas-Ennis Preview

 The month of June 2026 in the sport of Boxing will conclude with arguably one of the best fights that could be made in the sport in present day. This observer is referring to an encounter between two unbeaten world champions in Boxing’s 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division.undefeated unified WBO/WBA World Jr. Middleweight champion Xander Zayas will meet undefeated former IBF World Welterweight champion Jaron Ennis at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. A marquee bout that can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription or as a standalone pay-per-view offering for non-Ultimate subscribers. 

A coincidence that is present for this fight is it will take place on a historical day in Boxing history. Those of us who are old enough to remember likely recall June 27. 1988 where at the legendary Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, the then undefeated Undisputed World Heavyweight champion Mike Tyson destroyed unbeaten two-division world champion Michael Spinks in ninety-one seconds in defense of his crown and solidifying his claim as at that point in time the one and only World Heavyweight champion as Spinks also had a claim on the title and was recognized by Ring Magazine as World Heavyweight Champion. While that fight was significantly promoted to degrees that we do not see in the sport of Boxing anymore, the actual fight ended up being a disappointment, but was an example of how devastating Mike Tyson was in his prime years. From a business perspective, the event of Tyson-Spinks between live gate attendance, closed circuit locations, and pay-per-view, which was still largely in its infancy at that time here in the United States generated over $70 million in revenue and drew a sell out crowd of 21,785 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Although no fight in present day should be compared to that event, particularly one that will be taking place at a lower weight than the Heavyweight division, the one similarity between the two is like Tyson and Spinks thirty-eight years ago, both Zayas and Ennis are undefeated world champions and much like back then, there is a reasonable amount of suspense as to what might happen when the two champions step into the ring to do battle. In this case, both champions are not only unbeaten, but have both scored knockouts of over half of their opponents. In that aspect, the challenger Ennis, who is the current WBA number one Jr. Middleweight contender/mandatory challenger has the advantage having scored knockouts of 88% of his opponents, scoring thirty-one knockouts in his thirty-five career wins compared to Zayas’ thirteen knockouts in twenty-three career wins.

If one were to view this strictly from those statistics, they would get the impression that this is an encounter between a champion in Zayas, who would be labeled as more of a boxer going against a former world champion in Ennis, who would be labeled as more of a “Knockout Artist.” While this would be accurate to a degree, much like Ennis, Zayas has shown an ability to be explosive and can end a fight suddenly if the opportunity presents itself. The question here is what are we likely to see as each fighter faces arguably the toughest opponent in their respective careers.

Both fighters are well aware of what the other can do and as such there might be a healthy respect for each other’s credentials in the early rounds. At some point, however, it will be interesting to see who will take the initiative to force the action and take the risk of opening up with their offense and thus risk getting caught by their opponent.  While most fans would relish the idea of two fighters simply choosing to stand and trade punches, shot for shot, it is logical to think that this will be approached tactically by both fighters rather than throwing caution to the wind. It should also be pointed out, despite his reputation as a “Knockout Artist,” Jaron Ennis has also shown that when he has to, he can box as well, so it will be interesting to see what each fighter’s approach will be. 

Although this fight should be viewed as a chapter in the careers of two potentially great fighters, often fights like this are thought of as landmarks in a fighters career. Whether that label is justified or not, it puts the fighter who does not get their hand raised in a position where pundits will put their career under a microscope and there will be a rebuilding process that said fighter will have to undertake in attempting to bounce back from such a setback. This observer will not partake in such “What If” scenarios because after all, no one knows what will happen when Zayas and Ennis face off in the ring and there is obviously more to take into the equation post-fight than the matter of a win or a loss. What Boxing fans can hope for, however, is that both fighters come with their best and that the intriguing Fight of the Year candidate this appears to be on paper, manifests itself inside the ring.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Zayas vs. Ennis takes place on Saturday, June 27th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. the fight as well as its full undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as a standalone pay-per-view offering for $74.99 or included with a DAZN Ultimate subscription for $44.99 per month. The broadcast will begin at 4PM ET/1PM PT with free preliminary bouts with the subscription/standalone pay-per-view portion beginning at 8PM ET/ 5PM PT. 

(*North American Pricing and  Start Times Only.* (Card and Start Times Subject to Change.”

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, region specific pricing for your area, to subscribe to DAZN Ultimate or to order this pay-per-view event separately please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Usyk-Verhoeven: The Latest Combat Sports Curiosity

Credit: DAZN 

It has become almost a standard practice in present day combat sports to see crossover bouts featuring fighters from different combat disciplines trying their hand at competing in a different discipline/sport, often against a seasoned fighter with significantly more experience than the combatant leaving their primary sport for the said contest. While most of the time, this presents encounters that turn out to be one-sided mismatches where the fighter with more experience in the sport where a fight is taking place wins over the fighter crossing over from one sport to another, there will always be a curiosity whenever such a fight takes place. 

Such an occasion will occur when undefeated current unified World Heavyweight Boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk will defend the WBC World Heavyweight championship against former World Heavyweight Kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven on May 23rd at the Pyramids of Giza in Giza, Egypt. A bout that can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN either as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription or as a standalone pay-per-view option for non-Ultimate subscribers.

The location of this world title bout is as much a part of the story as the fight itself. This will be the first combat sports event to ever be held at the Pyramids of Giza and thus, regardless of what happens in the fight itself, this will make Boxing history given that it is a World Heavyweight championship bout. A subject that has some controversy attached to it.

Controversy in that the World Boxing Council (WBC) greenlit sanctioning this fight for its portion of the World Heavyweight championship, despite the significant difference in Boxing experience between champion and challenger. Perhaps, their decision was influenced at least in part by wanting to be involved in a unique event that is a first in all of combat sports in terms of location, that could be a one-off occurrence, but a decision that has faced significant criticism primarily from Boxing fans.

Where does the criticism stem from? Rico Verhoeven is a legend in the sport of Kickboxing having successfully defended the Glory Kickboxing World Heavyweight championship fifteen times in a twelve year reign as champion, which is an extremely impressive Hall of Fame worthy accomplishment in any combat sport. Having said that, Verhoeven, who has also dabbled in the sport of MMA, has only had one professional fight as a boxer. In that outing in April 2014, he scored a knockout in the second round over a fighter by the name of James Finfera, a boxer who was winless in five previous bouts when he met Verhoeven in Germany. Although it is a testament to the athletic qualities Verhoeven has that he has been willing to dabble in multiple combat sports with Kickboxing as his primary discipline, the criticism given the record of his one previous opponent in Boxing as well as the fact that he has not fought in a Boxing contest in over twelve years seems justified as to why some are questioning his being catapulted into a world championship opportunity here in what will only be his second professional fight as a boxer.

If\ one looks at the history of the sport, however, it is not unheard of for a world champion in a different combat sport to be given an opportunity to challenge for a world title in Boxing with a limited resume. Some may recall Troy Dorsey, a man that pioneered the concept of a multi-combat sport athlete.

Dorsey, a former World Kickboxing champion in the 1980’s and 1990’s made history as being the first fighter in history to hold world titles in both sports simultaneously and fought for a world title in Boxing in only his fourteenth professional fight during an era where there weren't as many avenues to compete for world titles as there are in the sport today. In more recent times, some are likely familiar with the career of Chris Algieri, an undefeated two-division World Kickboxing champion, who went on to win a world championship in Boxing and has since gone on to become one of the sport’s respected commentators and broadcasters.The takeaway here should be that while a fighter might have a limited resume when opportunities present themselves in a given sport, it does not mean that their chances can necessarily be dismissed just off of limited experience. 

Rather than focusing on resumes that boil down to statistics and footnotes, a more accurate question will be what type of fight can we expect to see here. As is the case with most crossover fights, there is not much to go on because there are obvious differences between Boxing and Kickboxing and as such, tactics cannot adequately be compared as one obviously has the element of being able to use kicks to the legs, body, and head, in addition to punching with hands, while the other, the hands are the sole weapon used in combat.

What this will boil down to is whether Verhoeven will be able to combat Usyk’s hand speed, ability to use angles, and deceptive punching power. The key in the eyes of this observer will be whether Verhoeven can get the respect of Usyl early in the fight.

Oleksandr Usyk is an undefeated former three-time Undisputed world champion in two weight divisions. The fact of the matter is there is not much that Usyk has not done and there probably at this point in his career that he has not seen in the ring that an opponent can offer him. An obvious danger here, however, though he has not shown signs of it, is the possibility of taking his opponent here lightly and as such even though Rico Verhoeven is a legend in Kickboxing, if he were to pull off what would be called a major upset here, some would likely use that accomplishment as a means to try and question Usyk’s legacy, likely citing Verhoeven’s limited Boxing experience.

How will Usyk approach this encounter? The obvious approach in my eyes will be to try and use the fact that Verhoeven has not fought in a Boxing contest in over twelve years to his advantage. Usyk must establish the pace of the combat from the outset and must also use the fact that world championship fights in Boxing are scheduled for twelve rounds. Although like Boxing, bouts in Kickboxing are also held with rounds with three minutes in duration, a question here is whether Rico Verhoeven will be conditioned to go into the middle and deep waters of the fight, also known as the middle and late rounds, if he is forced to do so and is forced to fight at a pace that he does not control. The task of trying to limit Usyk’s ability to use angles by trying to cut off the ring and nullify his hand speed will be a difficult task and Usyk’s fight plan will likely center on trying to extend Verhoeven into the middle and late rounds and will try to make him use more physical effort than Verhoeven is likely used to as a means of putting the challenger’s stamina to the test in addition to obviously looking to exploit any opening that Verhoeven might leave.

As is the case with virtually all crossover fights, whether this fight will be remembered for being a competitive bout or more for the uniqueness of the event and the location where it is taking place, remains to be seen. Having seen several of these fights and knowing that they are rarely known at the end of the day for a competitive contest, one way or another as was the case when future UFC Hall of Famer Connor McGregor stepped into the Boxing ring to challenge Floyd Mayweather and gave a good effort before ultimately being stopped by the more experienced Hall of Fame boxer, or when Hall of Fame boxer James Toney stepped into the UFC to challenge Hall of Famer Randy Couture and was quickly taken down and submitted, I am nevertheless curious as to what is going happen here and I'm as interested to watch as anyone else.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.*

Photo Courtesy of: DAZN Used with permission 

Usyk vs. Verhoeven takes place on Saturday, May 23rd at the Pyramids of Giza in Giza, Egypt. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN included with a DAZN Ultimate subscription for $44.99 per month or available as a standalone pay-per-view offering for non-ultimate subscribers for $59.99. The broadcast will begin at 11AM ET/8AM PT. (*North American pricing and start times only.* ) (*Card and Start Times Subject to Change.*)

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, Availability around the world, local start times and pricing in your area, to subscribe, or order this event, please visit: www.DAZN.com.

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