Boxing
DAZN News Daily Round-Up - Matchroom and DAZN extend their deal, Ayton aims for Hennessy rivalry and Inoue claims more silver
3 fight nights. 1 unmissable weekend. Only on DAZN
DAZN News rounds-up the biggest stories in boxing on Thursday, February 19.
Matchroom Boxing extends deal with DAZN
DAZN and Matchroom will continue their long-term partnership with a five-year contract extension which was announced on Wednesday .
The two boxing heavyweights have continually staged the biggest nights in boxing since they teamed up in 2018 and that is set to continue for the foreseeable future.
"DAZN is the only partner that matches our ambitions for boxing," Eddie Hearn, Chairman of Matchroom Sport, also said in a statement.
"Their global platform, investment, passion, and commitment to boxing make them the perfect partner for Matchroom Boxing’s fighters and events. This new, five-year deal in two of the world’s most important boxing markets reinforces our belief and trust in DAZN, and the scale of what we can achieve together.”
Ayton targets Hennessy clash
Tiah Ayton has her eyes on a domestic battle with Francesca Hennessy in the future.
Already making big waves as a professional, 19-year-old Ayton has her fifth fight on the undercard of Leigh Wood vs. Josh Warrington on Saturday, live on DAZN , and she believes she is on a collision course with fellow rising star Hennessy.
“I definitely think our paths will cross and she will be my rival at one point,” Ayton told The Ring .
“If we're in the same weight class and she's winning belts and I'm winning belts, there's only going to be one world champion and one of us has got to win it.”
More awards for Inoue in Japan
Naoya Inoue has been announced as the Japanese Fighter of the Year.
The annual awards ceremony of the Japanese Boxing Commission and the Sportswriters Club was held at the Tokyo Dome Hotel on Tuesday night and Inoue took the top prize again.
It is the eighth consecutive year, and ninth in total, that the Japanese superstar has scooped the award and he is firmly focussed on his huge showdown with domestic rival Junto Nakatani later this year.
"We made a promise for a big match," Inoue said. "We said, 'Let's both win and make it exciting again in one year.'
"That promise - we both managed to fulfil it. This May, at the Tokyo Dome, I will clash with Junto Nakatani with everything I got. Everyone, please be sure to witness our full courage and determination on that day."
3 fight nights, 1 unmissable weekend - only on DAZN
Watch three amazing fights this weekend exclusively on DAZN. It's Barrios vs. Garcia for the WBC welterweight title on PPV; with Wood vs. Warrington II, and Shields vs. Crews-Dezurn II on DAZN subscription. Get all three all included with DAZN Ultimate Tier.
