Boxing-DAZN strikes 5-year global deal with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom

(Reuters) - Sports streaming service DAZN said that it had struck a five-year global deal with boxing promoter Eddie Hearn's Matchroom stable, after an earlier agreement with Comcast's Sky to host Hearn's top fighters expired.

DAZN said it would show at least 16 Matchroom UK fights a year from July exclusively to subscribers in Britain and Ireland, and will also air Matchroom UK bouts to viewers around the world starting on July 31.

"As we continue Matchroom's expansion worldwide, this new deal will enable us to further cement DAZN as the unrivalled global home of boxing," said Hearn, who recently took over from father Barry as chairman of Matchroom.

The Sun reported last month that the deal was worth around 100 million pounds ($142 million) and covered most of Matchroom's stable, although world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua would continue to negotiate TV deals separately.

The global deal will help DAZN attract viewers in markets where it has yet to secure rights to major sports leagues such as English Premier League soccer or the U.S. National Football League, said independent media analyst Paolo Pescatore.

DAZN said the deal would expand an existing partnership with Matchroom across the United States, Italy and Spain to feature more local events, offer Matchroom UK fights to U.S. viewers, and invest in other new markets.

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(Reporting by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Toby Davis)