Sky Sports Reportedly In Talks With Zuffa Boxing And MVP
Sky Sports is in talks to strike a broadcasting deal with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing and Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP).
Reports indicate that talks are progressing well, with the aim of signing a deal in the next four-five weeks. While the two are under consideration, it seems Sky may want to have Zuffa as their first choice. The news would be a massive boost to White, who launches Zuffa Boxing on January 23. White co-promoted Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford in September with the help of Riyadh Season. Zuffa’s aim, though, is to have 12 cards a year. They also want those big fights like Canelo-Crawford, with the aim of creating a league-type system with their Zuffa Belt.
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Meanwhile, MVP boasts the strongest stable in women’s boxing, including stars Amanda Serrano, Savannah Marshall, and Alycia Baumgardner. Sky has long been a champion of the female side of the sport, regularly giving platforms to the likes of Natasha Jonas and Lauren Price. Paul is also a massive commercial draw. His heavyweight showdown with Mike Tyson became the most-streamed boxing fight ever. It also brought boxing to Netflix, as he hopes for another big event when he takes on Anthony Joshua this Friday, December 19th.
Implications
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Dana White is frequently criticized by those in the boxing world (including Jake Paul himself in the past) for the UFC’s pay structure, where fighters typically receive a much smaller percentage of total revenue compared to top-tier boxers. If Zuffa creates a closed league, they gain the leverage to dictate lower pay scales, similar to the MMA model. The Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act protects boxers from exploitative contracts and ensures they know how much a promoter is making from their fight. Critics fear that a powerful entity like Zuffa, backed by a major broadcaster like Sky, will attempt to find loopholes against such protections.
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Boxing purists will argue that Jake Paul’s “spectacle” fights (like his bout against Anthony Joshua tonight) prioritize social media hype over sporting merit. There is a fear that a Sky deal focused on MVP might lead to “influencer-heavy” cards.
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