Americans will have to stump up for Haney vs Prograis
Despite DAZN’s promises that they would end the pay-per-view model, Eddie Hearn explains why it is the only way forward to meet purse demands.
When DAZN entered the US market, it was largely based on the concept that their over-the-top (OTT) model would end the pay-per-view (PPV) dominance in boxing.
Turns out, ads taken out by DAZN announcing the “death” of PPV may have been a little premature.
One thing that has long troubled boxing fans is the fact that few sports television packages, be they cable or satellite, include the big fights. You have to pay extra for a one-off viewing. No other sport uses, or abuses, this model more than boxing. Could you imagine having the Super Bowl as a PPV event? There would be a riot!
So when joint British-American venture DAZN hit our shores in 2018, much fanfare and trumpeting was given to deriding the PPV model as a dinosaur, one that DAZN would kill off.
And then, in came Canelo.
In the Mexican legend’s defeat to Dmitry Bivol, purse requirements of the fighters meant that DAZN was unable to carry the event within their normal subscription and turned to PPV as a solution.
In announcing the making of the upcoming WBC light welterweight world title fight between Devin Haney and Regis Prograis, Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn let slip that, while the fight would be carried by a normal DAZN contract in the UK and Ireland, across the water in the USA, fans would have to once again fork over a PPV fee.
The reason? Once again, it all comes down to purse demands.
Speaking to Boxing Social, Hearn said, “It might be a sign of the times. The market and the purses that these guys are getting for the mega fights. You know, Devin Haney just boxed on pay-per-view against Lomachenko. He won that fight. He wants a lot of money. Regis wants a lot of money. It’s the way to make the fight happen.”
While neither of these fighters are in the box-office-draw league that Canelo Álvarez is in, from a pure pugilistic sense, this will be an extremely tasty contest.
At 29-1 with 24 knockouts, Regis Prograis is the reigning WBC light welterweight champion. His only loss came in the World Boxing Super Series final to Josh Taylor.
His challenger is for this fight is the bigger draw. Devin Haney is the WBC, WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and The Ring lightweight champion and is undefeated at 30-0 with 15 knockouts. Coming off that handy win over Vasyl Lomachenko, Haney has also defeated Yuriorkis Gamboa, Jorge Linares, and George Kambosos - twice.
Hearn thinks that this matchup has what it takes to qualify as a super fight. “It’s our first pay-per-view in America that we’ve done outside of Canelo Alvarez. So, we’ll see how it goes. I think it will do very well. The build-up will be very intense. The promo was off the charts and it’s going to be a big fight.”
Hearn insists that he is not immune to the criticism, however. But explains the PPV model was the only way for the price demands to be met. “I get people’s criticism. At the same time, it’s only pay-per-view in America, not in the UK, for UK subscribers. But it’s a big, big fight. The price will be announced soon for subscribers and I think they’re going to get great value for money.”
Devin Haney and Regis Prograis will square off in San Francisco on December 9.