Matchroom Sport announce two-year deal with Sky Sports - 28/08/2012
Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Sport are delighted to announce that they have signed a two-year agreement to be the principal boxing promoter on Sky Sports, with the World's leading online betting exchange Betfair teaming up with the promoters as official partner.
Matchroom Boxing will stage 20 shows in both seasons with the first event of the new deal taking place on September 8 at the Alexandra Palace in north London as Tony Bellew's clash with Edison Miranda in Betfair's 'London Calling' tops a huge bill with five title fights. On the same night, Sky Sports will show live coverage of Super Six champion, Andre Ward, defending his WBC and WBA super middleweight World titles against Chad Dawson from California.
Hearn says that the big night of action at Ally Pally is just the first in a series of shows that will have viewers on the edge of their seats over the next two years, with five stellar shows already lined up before December.
Matchroom Boxing's Carl Froch
Carl Frampton defends his Commonwealth and IBF Inter-Continental titles against two-time World champion Steve Molitor on September 22 in Belfast in Betfair's 'Judgement Day', with support from Paul McCloskey taking on WBA no. nine Manuel Perez, Martin Lindsay challenging Lee Selby for the British and Commonwealth featherweight titles and Eamonn O'Kane taking on Craig Windsor Jr. for the Celtic super middleweight title.
The best ever Prizefighter series line-up sees Anthony Crolla, Derry Mathews and Gary Sykes face-off for the Lightweights II trophy in Liverpool on October 6 where Rocky Fielding boxes for his first pro title in Betfair's 'Rocky and the Prizefighters'.
Kell Brook takes the final step towards a World title on October 20 as he faces Hector Saldivia in a final eliminator for the mandatory position for the IBF welterweight title at the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield in Betfair's 'This Is It', where Jamie McDonnell is also in an IBF World title final eliminator against South African bantamweight Vusi Malinga.
Carl Froch boxes for the first time as a three-time World champion on November 17 in Betfair's 'True Brit', defending his IBF super middleweight title against Yusaf Mack at the Capital FM Arena where he produced a stunning KO win over Lucian Bute.
"I am delighted that Matchroom has reached this ground-breaking agreement with Sky Sports," said Hearn. "The future of boxing for fight fans and TV viewers is deeper bills with more title fights and more competitive fights in packed out arenas.
"We have a great stable of talent at Matchroom Sport and they will benefit from regular boxing at high-profile, atmospheric events, as our leading lights Carl Froch, Kell Brook, Darren Barker, Gavin Rees and Carl Frampton fight in huge title fights in the coming seasons.
"Sky Sports and Matchroom Sport want to deliver across the board for fight fans - broadcast quality shows, using Ringside, Sky Sports News and skysports.com to build our boxers, and help create new heroes. We are looking to develop close relationships with fighters, promoters and international broadcasters to ensure an exciting future for the sport of boxing on Sky Sports."
Betfair are already heavily involved in professional boxing as the title sponsor of the Betfair Prizefighter series, and have shown they are committed to grassroots boxing with their backing of the British Amateur Boxing Association. The deal will see Betfair play a role as title sponsor at all of Matchroom Boxing's upcoming fight nights.
