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Anthony Joshua is set to rematch Oleksandr Usyk in August with the aim of reclaiming his world titles. The Ukrainian defeated the Brit last September to take his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO Heavyweight Championships.
While confirmation is yet to be officially revealed, the Brit looks set to cut ties with Sky Sports after nine years and retain his partnership with Eddie Hearn by moving to DAZN. Joshua's deal with Sky has expired, which has allowed the digital streaming service to take advantage of the opportunity.
The pay-per-view star is a key asset to any broadcaster, which is why both companies are desperate to have the heavyweight on their lists. Now that sports streaming service DAZN may have secured their man, it will make them an even more influential player in the sports market.
The broadcaster also reacquired the services of Canelo Alvarez this year. The Mexican star is one of the biggest draws in boxing.
Joshua's first assignment under his new deal will be an attempt to rectify his mistakes against Usyk, who convincingly beat the champion last time out. The pound-for-pound star showcased his boxing skills in London last year to become a two-weight world champion.
The two competitors will meet for the sequel in Saudi Arabia on either August 13 or 20, sharing a 50-50 split of over £100 million.
DAZN will look to acquire two fights a year with the aim of hosting the biggest contests in the British heavyweight franchise. This could include a possible encounter against WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury unless he sticks to his retirement claims.
The popular app secured the services of Matchroom Boxing and Eddie Hearn in June 2021, who has a 5-year deal signed with the broadcaster. Hearn, as a popular promoter, is an asset in himself and is likely a key figurehead in persuading Joshua to join the team.
How big is Anthony Joshua to DAZN?
Anthony Joshua is one of the biggest stars in the sport of boxing. The Brit has a huge following in and outside the ring, which includes his 13.9 million Instagram followers.
This makes him the third most followed boxer on Instagram, only behind Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather.
DAZN owner Sir Len Blavatnik is a billionaire businessman who clearly has a strategy for growing his streaming service. His company has grown significantly in recent years and it makes obvious sense to sign the pay-per-view star.
The broadcaster looks set to pay Joshua a 9-figure US dollar deal. This includes his earnings capacity over the next three to five years, potentially running into hundreds of millions of dollars.
Joshua has an extremely impressive resume as he's already encountered many big names. There are still many mega-fights available for the Brit though, including against Fury, Deontay Wilder, Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubois.
DAZN will no doubt look to create any of these matchups and potentially showcase their new pay-per-view star.
