NEXT STOP, DAZN!

By Frank Warren

ON SUNDAY EVENING we were finally in position to make our big reveal of our broadcast partnership from April of next year and I really couldn’t be more delighted.

DAZN has more than shown its boxing colours over the last few years and the emphasis and priority it gives to our great sport was a clear and obvious appeal. With this new deal we will have greater scope for innovation, an increased number of dates, huge potential for international growth and the ability to maximise opportunities by collaboration with the other promotional companies featuring under the same umbrella.

With everyone pulling in the same direction, DAZN can become an absolute juggernaut in taking the fight game to new and unparalleled heights over the course of our long-term arrangement.

We have been very clear over recent years of our objective to be the Best of British, to really harness the finest young talents and build an unrivalled group of fighters, particularly in the heavyweight division. It was a mission I feel I can safely say was accomplished and I truly believe we have the best collection of fighters of any promotional company in the world, actually.

It was always a building process and it still is. My mantra and what has served me well over so many years is that you never stop building. You have peaks and troughs, as with any industry, but if your byword is development, you should not encounter a talent shortage.

Currently, thanks to hard work, patience and continuing to lay foundations, we are in a position of strength with so many leading fighters and so many top fights to be made. We will always apply these principles even across expanded territories.

With ourselves, Matchroom, Golden Boy, along with other promotional agreements DAZN has in place, the possibilities are endless and the real benefactors will be fans of the sport. Big things will happen.

It should also be noted that we are not stepping into the unknown. Queensberry, in tandem with DAZN and others, have significantly broadened our horizons over the last year or so via boxing’s starring role in Riyadh Season, where we have all come together and staged probably the greatest shows, certainly of my lifetime.

Now we are officially all one team and I cannot wait until April 1 when the planning stage will turn into a major delivery of the biggest and best fights.

WE MADE ANOTHER successful visit to Birmingham last weekend and, once again, the fans turned out in force at the BP Pulse Arena to further illustrate why the Second City is fast becoming a boxing hotbed.

Unfortunately, this time around, we took an L to Matchroom in the main event when Liam Davies was outpointed by Shabaz Masoud and the IBO world super bantamweight title changed hands.

It was an entertaining, mostly competitive, scrap and congratulations go to Shabaz, who got it right on the night. Liam, I am afraid, didn’t.

Our Telford favourite has done remarkable things over the last couple of years by employing a varied skill set to overcome the styles he was confronted by.

Against Shabaz, for some reason, he simply appeared intent on attempting to blast him out with his power advantage. He made it an easier night for his opponent by being so one-dimensional, showing no head movement and little use of the jab.

Liam is so much better than that, so we have to assume it was an off-night for him.

We have seen this a bit recently with our boys who really pack a punch and can close the show with a single blow. Mark Chamberlain and Tommy Fletcher, like Liam, seemed to run out of ideas and be devoid of a Plan B or C when the Bingo shot proved elusive.

They all need to remember what got them there in the first place. This game isn’t just about knockouts and, as you step it up, not many opponents will readily offer up their chin. It is not rocket science, you have to get the basics right and take it from there.

All that being said, if Liam, Mark and Tommy learn their lesson and get back to the fundamentals, they all still have a very big future and we will give them every opportunity to succeed at the highest level.

I didn’t manage to catch up with her after the fight, so a big well done to Chantelle Cameron, who impressed again in a defence of her WBC Interim world title against Patricia Berghult. In 2025 Chantelle will return to the very top table where she deserves to be.

I must also pay tribute to Ekow Essuman and his opponent Ben Vaughan, who delivered a welterweight banger for us to enjoy. Ekow really is as tough as old boots and was well worth his victory, but I was also mightily impressed with Ben, who had only had 10 fights, not gone beyond six rounds and his last two were over in the first. He showed massive heart and resilience to extend an established champion all the way.

A quick mention also for our new heavyweight, Lewis Williams, who made his professional debut on the night against an opponent in Lamah Griggs who previously had only been stopped once, by Olympic champion Tony Yoka.

Lewis looked athletic, showed excellent movement and, most strikingly, rapid hand speed. On first sighting, he looks like an excellent addition to our heavyweight ranks and I look forward to seeing him back in action.