With HBO exiting the boxing business, unified middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez needed a new broadcast partner. Golden Boy Promotions’ Oscar De La Hoya said that he was shopping around for a deal for his Mexican mega-star. It turns out that a deal has finally been agreed upon.
While most would assume Alvarez would strike up a deal with Showtime, he has opted instead to do business with DAZN. DAZN has gotten off to a hot start this year, broadcasting Bellator MMA events, as well as other major boxing bouts featuring stars like Anthony Joshua. ESPN’s Dan Rafael is reporting that the deal is five years over 11 fights, and is worth $365 million.
It was noted that the deal is the richest contract that has ever been signed by an athlete. The previous record was the deal between New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, who had a 13-year, $325 million deal with the Miami Marlins in 2014. De La Hoya said that Alvarez is “extremely happy” being the highest-paid athlete in the world.
What do you think about DAZN obtaining the rights to broadcast Alvarez fights?
