Exclusive: Frank Warren responds after criticism of DAZN partnership
In an exclusive interview conducted by Louis Hart, a member of our team, renowned boxing promoter Frank Warren spoke about his recent partnership with DAZN as Queensberry Promotions’ exclusive broadcast partner. The conversation focused on the impact this alliance will have on British and global boxing.
Starting on April 1, 2025, DAZN will be the exclusive platform for Queensberry fights, enabling these bouts to reach an international audience and creating a new stage for high-level boxing. Warren, the founder of Queensberry Promotions and a Hall of Fame inductee, expressed his enthusiasm for the deal. “We’re delighted,” he said. “It’s a great partnership with DAZN, and starting April 1st, we’ll be putting on major shows. This gives us the opportunity to broaden our horizons and bring events to a global level, not just in the UK.”This agreement also allows Queensberry to
In the past, Frank Warren had been critical of DAZN, but the platform’s global expansion changed his perspective. In the interview, he explained that the decision to partner with DAZN came from the trust he has in their management team. “They’ve shown that they have a great management team, with people I’ve worked with before at BT and IMG,” he noted.
“Salam Black, the main financier, his vision and their vision has obviously given us a lot of impulse to do this deal. We wanted this deal. Their global brand has certainly built up in the last couple of years; it’s changed in a big way.”
“We focused on building in the UK the strongest promotional business we’ve done that and now we’re moving on to the next stage at the next level,” Warren stated.Reflecting on the evolution of sports broadcasting, Frank Warren recalled how media has transformed boxing since its early days.
“My very first show was on BBC television and in those days they were the only game in town,” he mentioned. Warren remembered how, early on, only the BBC broadcast boxing, and his first event aired on that channel. Later, on ITV, he fought to have fights broadcast live, as back then they aired with a 24-hour delay.
He then joined Sky, when it had only 3 million subscribers, and helped build stars like Ricky Hatton. On BT, which later became TNT, he also established a significant space for boxing. Now, with DAZN, he feels they are advancing toward the future of the sport.
DAZN, while also broadcasting other sports globally, has a specialization in boxing in the UK, which Warren sees as a significant advantage. According to the promoter, the British audience remains one of the most passionate in the world.Update provided on Ben Whittaker vs. Liam Cameron rematch
Frank Warren highlighted that DAZN, as a global platform, will drive boxing forward, especially in the UK, where there is an enormous passion for the sport, as seen in recent events at Wembley. Along with Matchroom, he considers them to be the biggest boxing promoters in the UK and possibly in the world.
The deal between Queensberry and DAZN has also raised concerns in some industry sectors. Simon Jordan, a commentator on the Jim White show, expressed his worry about the potential monopoly that could result from the concentration of boxing broadcasts among fewer broadcasters. However, Warren dismissed this opinion.
“Simon Jordan’s in talk to his opinion for me his opinion and what he’s got to say about how boxing’s evolving and whatever I couldn’t give a flying toss about. Because everything he said about boxing up to now has been completely and utterly wrong,” Warren concluded.
With this agreement, Frank Warren and Queensberry Promotions are preparing to bring British boxing to a global scale and enter a promising era alongside DAZN, solidifying their presence on a platform that continues to gain relevance in combat sports broadcasting.
