Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season has announced that DAZN will broadcast ‘Knockout Chaos’ worldwide and via Sky Box Office in the UK.
British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua will headline ‘Knockout Chaos’ in a bout against former MMA star Francis Ngannou at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Friday 8 March, which will be broadcasted worldwide by DAZN and available in the UK via Sky Box Office.
HE Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA), stated: “‘Knockout Chaos’ is one of the most important events to take place in Riyadh Season so far this year, an occasion which will bring together yet more international champions from one of the most popular sports in the world.”
This new boxing event follows Riyadh Season’s record successes of ‘Battle of the Baddest’, when Tyson Fury beat Francis Ngannou and ‘Day of Reckoning’, when Joshua beat Swedish boxer Otto Wallin.
The global sports entertainment platform was the broadcaster for ‘Day of Reckoning’, and has been chosen again by Riyad Season to do so again.
Shay Segev, CEO of DAZN, commented: “DAZN is the undisputed home of boxing, and it is an honour to have been chosen by Riyadh Season again as their global broadcast and distribution partner for “Knockout Chaos”.
“We share Riyadh Season’s ambitions and look forward to repaying their trust by producing and broadcasting another blockbuster event Friday 8 March.”
The event has made waves in the boxing ecosystem, mainly due to Frank Warren’s Queensberry camp going up against Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, with the two promoters pitting their best fighters against each other to see who comes out on top.
A concept that fans have wanted for years, the promoter-vs-promoter clash has emerged following the money injected into the sport by Saudi Arabia, with the Gulf nation seeking to bolster its international standing as a sports tournament host.
Frank Warren, the Hall of Fame Promoter from Queensberry, said: “This is yet another blockbuster delivery of the best of boxing by Riyadh Season and fans right across the world are in for a real treat on 8 March.
“I am obviously thrilled that Queensberry fighters feature so strongly on a card headlined by the big Joshua-Ngannou collision, with our top heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang bidding to further reinforce his world title credentials, plus our leading featherweight Nick Ball fighting for the WBC world title against Rey Vargas.
“We also have an intriguing all-British lightweight clash for the European title between young puncher Mark Chamberlain and the much more experienced champion Gavin Gwynne. All in all, it is a must-see night of boxing and our appreciation, as always, goes to H.E. Turki Alalshikh and everyone involved in Riyadh Season for making it happen.”
Sky Sports has been chosen to broadcast the historical night of boxing in the UK, furthering its commitment to the sport.
The broadcaster has also bolstered its portfolio of sports coverage this year, signing deals to show England’s Netball League as well as creating its first-ever dedicated tennis channel for UK & Ireland viewers.
“As the unrivalled home for sports fans in the UK and Ireland, Sky Sports is thrilled to offer our customers the chance to watch this eagerly awaited clash,” said Jonathan Licht, Sky Sports Managing Director.
