Serving up a treble for DAZN Launch

On Monday back in Manchester we served up a treble-helping of big fight news to mark the beginning of our broadcast partnership with DAZN, which officially kicks in on April 1.

Myself and all the team here at Queensberry are so driven and motivated by this new alliance and the fact that we will be working in tandem with a broadcaster that puts boxing first and truly believes in the power of the sport.

The traditional sports channels do a fantastic job and we had a terrific run with BT and then TNT, but you have to accept the priority and driving force for these companies will always be football.

There is no playing second or third fiddle on DAZN, certainly not in our territory. Boxing is first and foremost and the stated intention is to be the global home of the noble art.

We now get to our bit and bolster the already bumper offering on the service. Rest assured, however, we are not coming in as chief support. We are typically competitive and will always plan on being the main event.

Our opening gambit of three shows illustrates as much and it will have come as no surprise to anyone that we are announcing ourselves with a heavyweight bonanza on April 5.

‘Heavy Impact’ at the Co-op Live Arena features a hearty feast of heavyweight conflict, with a classic crossroads clash between Dillian Whyte and the Big Juggernaut Joe Joyce leading the way.

It is one of those fights that you know will deliver the goods. Neither man hides away and there will be no place to hide anyway. I never like to overplay the consequences of defeat, but the loser will not be in a good spot. The winner will have a multitude of lucrative options.

I am particularly looking forward to the feuding former cruiserweights finally getting to settle the score at heavyweight. Lawrence Okolie and Richard Riakporhe seem to have been circling each other for a while, so them getting it on is an exciting prospect. I feel that both have got the dimensions and skillset to thrive at heavyweight.

David Adeleye and Jeamie TKV is another cracker and the perfect fight for both at this stage of the game. To propel yourself up the next level there shouldn’t be any shortcuts and you should prove you are the best in class.

On Saturday May 10 we are back in Nottingham for the first time in many years and we are returning with an absolute corker of a fight. Nobody doubts the fact that Anthony Cacace vs Leigh will be a barnstormer because of the nature of the two fighters.

They are big-punching, all-action operators who rightly belong at world level.

The Motorpoint Arena is the place to be and I think it will be full to bursting on the night for a genuine headline attraction.

Also in May, we are back in Scotland and I am delighted to welcome Josh Taylor to the Queensberry ranks ahead of a great clash with another of our men in Ekow Essuman.

Josh, of course a former undisputed champion at super lightweight, is taking a step up in weight class and needs a quality test for his introduction. Ekow, following his recent thrillers, has been calling for a big name and now he has got one.

This is no foregone conclusion or straightforward homecoming for Josh because Ekow believes it is he that belongs at world level and he has only made a single mis-step in his entire career when he probably remained at British title level for too long and took his eye off the prize.

Also on the Glsgow card, we’ve got a belter at featherweight between Nathaniel Collins and Lee McGregor in an all-Scottish shootout, plus our young cruiserweight force Aloys Jr takes on a tough away fixture against David Jamieson, who is a bit of a banger.

So the first three are booked in and there will be no drop-off in the quality level as we move through 2025. Watch this space for more exciting announcements in the coming weeks.