Eddie Hearn Reacts To PBC Potentially Working With DAZN – ‘I’d Be Over The Moon’

In today’s boxing news, Eddie Hearn has reacted to the news that PBC could align themselves with DAZN following Showtime’s exit from the sport. 

Showtime’s interest in boxing came to an end with the news that 2023 would be their final year. That brought an end to the network’s 40-year contribution to the sport, as they followed HBO out of the door.

In the aftermath, reports indicated that PBC were in talks with Amazon Prime, as well as DAZN, as the hunt was on for a new network.

And given that Showtime had been a rival of DAZN, Hearn welcomed the idea of the two working together. The move would give DAZN a huge platform in the American market, given the quality stable that PBC has at its disposal.

After all, fighters such as David Benavidez, Gervonta Davis, Errol Spence Jr. Deontay Wilder, Canelo Alvarez and Jermell Charlo are under the PBC banner. With that being said, this is what Hearn had to say. 

Hearn On PBC

“Fighters are probably looking at themselves and saying, ‘Do I need to make sure I’m with a promotional company that actually has a broadcasting deal?’ For me, I’m always championing the fact that DAZN is the global home of boxing. If they can bring PBC to the platform as well, I’d be over the moon, I’ll be flying, and I think it would be a good acquisition.

“But I’m sure they’re talking to Amazon, and maybe more as well. That’s the big job for PBC now, to make sure they have a broadcaster because if they don’t get the broadcast deal they need, the business can’t survive. But they have a good brand. So, I’m sure they’ll be OK,” Hearn said

In response to the news, several boxers have also come out to show their support for the need for things in boxing to change. The sport is facing serious competition from the rise of MMA, in particular the UFC, as boxing faces continuous claims that the biggest fights are not being made due to issues with different promotional companies and promoters.

But at a time when the competition is as intense as ever, several fighters have called for some innovation in the sport to keep it healthy. 

Fighters React To Showtime’s Exit

“HBO and Showtime defined our sport for a generation and now they are both out. All us boxers need to make this our collective fight. We gotta be thinking about marketing, new audiences, investors, global, all of it. Boxing is still the greatest sport in the world. We just gotta reimagine it,” Ryan Garcia

“I couldn’t agree more @RyanGarcia. The system we have isn’t going to fix this. We gotta think different. Look at every other sport is building empires by doing it right. Us fighters need to come together. We can fight in the ring but work together for our sport and our families,” Terence Crawford

“I salute Showtime for their near-40 year commitment to the sport that I love. I am hopeful that we promoters can use this unfortunate situation to put our differences aside and start working together more often to help make more of the bigger fights and grow our sport,” De La Hoya