Promoters Unite to Box Nation over Sky Sports

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Frank Warren, Frank Maloney, Ricky Hatton and Barry McGuigan signed a joint promotional contract with rival subscription channel BoxNation, which creates a powerful platform for match-making at domestic and world level. It is unusual for promoters to come together in such a way in what is a cut-throat sport, but the four believe it is time to act over what they view as Sky’s unhealthy domination and the arrangement that any promoter who wants a fight to be shown by the channel has to go through Hearn.

Hatton said that since being jettisoned a year ago by Sky he had considered reducing his stable to a handful of fighters from the 18 on the roster at present. “I have a good stable, with several boxers coming along nicely, but I was starved of a TV deal. We’ve broken the mould in what we are now going to do and it’s great for boxing fans, the fighters, and the promoters,†he said. “If you look at the combined talent signed to Hatton Promotions, Frank Warren and Frank Maloney that for me is the reason why BoxNation is the best boxing channel by far.â€

McGuigan, who is overseeing the rising super-bantamweight star Carl Frampton, recently left Hearn’s Matchroom Sports organisation with Frampton, to join forces with Warren and BoxNation. “I did it because it has given us the chance to create a more egalitarian situation,†he said.