By: Sean Crose
Although it’s certainly had its share of challenges – the DAZN streaming service has certainly come back at the end of Covid plagued 2020 in strong fashion. Anthony Joshua, Daniel Jacobs, Roman Gonzalez, and Billy Joe Saunders have all recently been broadcast live by the service – in meaningful fights, no less. Furthermore, names such as Gennady Golovkin, Ryan Garcia and Luke Campbell are on the agenda for the very near future. Perhaps the biggest name DAZN has to offer, however, will be fighting this weekend…and the service has decided on a new way to deliver that fight to the general public.
For DAZN has confirmed to Boxing Insider that Canelo Alvarez’ super middleweight title bout this weekend with the undefeated Callum Smith will not only be available to those who have already paid a monthly or yearly fee – but that it will also be available on pay per view. This, of course, strikes some as rather odd, as DAZN essentially boasted at one time of running the pay per view format out of the boxing business. Times, however, change, as do opportunities to gain new subscribers. By paying just under $70.00, viewers will not only see the fight, but will also receive four months of DAZN at no further cost.
“Main idea:,” DAZN told me, “provide the one-click access through your cable remote while delivering much more value than just one night’s fight.” With fights such as Garcia versus Campbell right around the corner, it’s a rather smart strategy. Plus, as has been mentioned online, the Canelo-Smith fight will now be easier to show at bars and establishments. With Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing promotions associated with DAZN, there should be a good amount of ring activity in the first months of 2021.
Canelo, who ironically parted ways with DAZN recently, is returning to its broadcast stream for one of this year’s stronger fights. Although expected to win, he may be in tough with Smith, a tall, powerful, undefeated super middleweight with killer instinct to burn. On paper, the match has the makings of a quality throwdown, with both fighters being able and willing to turn off the lights on a given foe. Should Smith end up somehow stunning Canelo, however, it might be the biggest fight upset of the year – something that could only be good for DAZN’s business, provided they’re in on a rematch clause.