Boxer Canelo Alvarez Signs Richest Contract in Sports History with DAZN

Boxer Canelo Alvarez in 2015. Photo by Harry Pluviose/mediapunch/REX/Shutterstock (9444238a)

Mexican boxer Saul Canelo Alvarez signed a $365 million deal with London-based sports streaming service DAZN on Wednesday in the biggest sports contract on an individual athlete.

Alvarez will have his next 11 matches streamed on DAZN, starting with his fight against Rocky Fielding later in December. The contract will run until 2023. With the huge deal, Alvarez overshadowed Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton, who signed a $325, 13-year contract in 2014 while at Miami.

Former US boxer Oscar De La Hoya is partly responsible for the deal as his company Golden Boy Promotions sealed off the deal. The company previously had its clients’ matches streamed by HBO but the organization terminated boxing broadcasts recently.

Canelo made his mark last month when he beat Gennady Golovkin in one of the richest matches in boxing history. More than 1.1 million fans turned up for the event while TV sales accrued well over $100 million. The Mexican also boxed Mayweather in 2013 but lost. However, the fight was also a huge money maker, accruing over $140 in Pay per View earnings.

DAZN looks forward to growing its Cbrand through boxing. After signing a deal worth more than $1 billion with UK promoter Eddie Earn, the streaming network showed its first match in Anthony Joshua’s knock out over Alexander Povetkin. DAZN’s main aim is to win over the US market and expand to other territories around the world.