DAZN buys boxing's The Ring from Saudi powerbroker Alalshikh
What's the deal? Streaming platform DAZNDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired The RingDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the boxing magazine founded in 1922, buying out Saudi entertainment figure Turki Alalshikh. The deal gives DAZN control of one of the sport's most recognisable brands, including its championship belt and rankings. Terms were not disclosed.
The backstory: Alalshikh bought The Ring in November 2024, reportedly paying $10 million — about $3 million more than Oscar De La Hoya paid through Golden Boy Enterprises in 2007. At the time, he pledged to revive the print edition and return it to the US and UK markets.
What's the endgame? DAZN already holds rights to events from some of boxing's biggest promoters. Owning The Ring lets it tie editorial coverage to the fights it broadcasts and use the magazine's rankings and belt to build storylines around potential matchups.
Why now? Netflix has reshaped the boxing landscape. Its first major card, Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson, drew a reported 108 million viewers worldwide in November 2024, with Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano II on the same bill reaching an estimated 74 million.
Netflix has since landed Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford, which reached 41.4 million viewers, and will air the long-awaited Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury in December. The pressure on rivals to secure marquee content and brands has intensified.
The signal: Just as the magazine let Alalshikh steer the sport by controlling its rankings and title, ownership could hand DAZN an edge as it builds out its boxing offering — and marks the latest consolidation of editorial and broadcast power in a sport increasingly shaped by streaming money.
Read more: topgoal.nl
Image credit: aibaproboxing
