Eyeing 44 events in 2026, Dana White recently said, “We’ve done four events this year. Bob Arum’s done one. De La Hoya has done one. PBC’s done none. We’ve done four.” The noise from White’s comments during the Zuffa 04 post-fight presser likely echoed loudly. Against that backdrop, Top Rank’s latest move carries added weight. It helps explain the decision to ink a multi-fight broadcast deal with DAZN amid stiff competition from boxing’s newest promotion.

The development follows Top Rank’s split from ESPN last year after an eight-year partnership. Though Bob Arum‘s promotion continued to stage events, they mostly occurred on non-traditional platforms, including Top Rank Classics, The Roku Channel, Tubi, and Vizio. In a shifting landscape that has seen the arrival of Netflix and Paramount+, with whom White’s UFC and Zuffa struck a partnership, Top Rank’s uncertain future became a growing concern. With the DAZN deal, Arum joins Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing and Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions.

“🚨 Top Rank has reached a multi-year partnership with DAZN‼️,” citing Ring Magazine, @Source of Boxing tweeted. “The deal will be for 8–10 dates per year, with around $1.25 million per event.”

Adding a layer of intrigue to the announcement, reports, meanwhile, indicate that Ring Magazine later deleted the social media post.

“The Ring has learned that Top Rank and DAZN have reached an agreement on a multiyear partnership that will be announced this week,” it reportedly read. “The deal will provide Top Rank with between eight and 10 dates per year and will pay license fees between $1 million and $1.25 million per event.”

Even so, the development quickly gained traction. The move is likely to relieve fans who look forward to Top Rank events. Despite the broadcasting issues, the promotion continues to promote some well-recognized names, including Teofimo Lopez, Janibek Alimkhanuly, Richard Torrez Jr., Keyshawn Davis, Abdullah Mason, Bruce Carrington, and many more.

This year alone, prior to the DAZN deal and despite Dana White’s jabs, Bob Arum and his team managed to stage events that were well received by fans and pundits. One featured Raymond Muratalla defending the IBF lightweight title against Andy Cruz. More recently, Emanuel Navarrete’s dazzling performance during the title unification bout against Eduardo Nunez drew widespread appreciation.

More significant, perhaps, is what Top Rank plans to do next.

An insider who spoke with BoxingScene said, “I think you’ll see the likes of Xander, Keyshawn, Shu Shu, and Abdullah Mason in short order.”

To understand the significance of the DAZN deal, it is also worth revisiting how Top Rank arrived at this point.

Bob Arum and Top Rank’s Move to DAZN

Last year, it was with Zayas’ fight for the vacant WBO light middleweight title, when he defeated Jorge Garcia Perez unanimously, that Top Rank’s contract with ESPN concluded. Hopes surfaced when, a month later, veteran matchmaker Rick Glaser revealed Arum’s team striking a deal with cable channel Starz.

“So here it is, Top Rank has landed a deal with premium cable channel Starz, 11 boxing shows a year, $1 million per show, & Top Rank will retain the foreign rights,” Glaser wrote. “I don’t know yet how many years it’s for. It’s a start to regrouping for TR after losing the ESPN deal. But layoffs will be imminent, as that deal cannot sustain Top Rank’s current overhead. Great to have Starz get involved in boxing!”

However, the outlook was far from stable. The New York State Boxing Hall of Fame inductee painted a more grim picture for Top Rank, claiming they might be forced to release their fighters.

Against that backdrop, the DAZN deal represents a turning point. Having navigated those uncertain days and now securing a partnership with a broadcaster that proudly calls itself the “home of boxing,” Top Rank appears to have stabilized its position.

Predictably, debate over the pros and cons of the DAZN deal saw a few users comparing it with the $7.7 billion UFC and Paramount+ contract. At the same time, the broader boxing landscape continues to shift.

Interestingly, Top Rank’s move also comes as ESPN returns to boxing, having signed an agreement with Jake Paul’s MVP and now set to stage an event headlined by Alycia Baumgardner’s title defense at Madison Square Garden.