Sky Sports Doubles Down on Women’s Boxing with Landmark MVPW Deal
Sky Sports has secured a multi-year broadcast partnership with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), making the UK and Ireland the new home of MVPW – the promotional company’s dedicated women’s boxing platform. The deal, announced Tuesday, underscores Sky’s commitment to elevating women’s sport and navigating a rapidly shifting boxing broadcast landscape.
The partnership guarantees at least two all-female fight nights annually in the UK, beginning this Sunday, April 5th, at London’s Olympia. The inaugural event features a compelling double-header: a world lightweight title unification bout between Caroline Dubois and Terri Harper, and a championship clash between Ellie Scotney and Mayelli Flores with undisputed status on the line for Scotney.
Beyond UK shores, Sky Sports will also broadcast select MVPW events from the US, starting with Alycia Baumgardner’s title defense against Bo Mi Re Shin on April 17th from Madison Square Garden.
“This agreement with MVP underlines Sky Sports’ ambition to showcase the very best in women’s boxing to sports fans and new audiences,” said Jonathan Licht, Sky Sports’ Chief Officer UK & Ireland. “As the UK and Ireland’s biggest investor in and broadcaster of women’s sport, we are proud to be part of the momentum women’s boxing is enjoying and adding the sport to our unrivalled line-up.”
Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul echoed the sentiment, stating the partnership is “a major milestone for MVPW and women’s boxing globally.” They emphasized a commitment to providing opportunities for female fighters and expanding the commercial potential of the sport.
This move comes as Sky Sports recalibrates its boxing strategy following the departure of Matchroom Boxing to DAZN in 2021. Subsequent partnerships with Top Rank and Boxxer did not extend, leaving a void in Sky’s boxing portfolio. The MVP deal, alongside a recent agreement with Zuffa Boxing, signals a willingness to embrace newer, more disruptive promotional companies.
Sky Sports has previously demonstrated its commitment to women’s boxing, broadcasting the groundbreaking all-female card featuring Claressa Shields versus Savannah Marshall in 2022, and a follow-up event headlined by Natasha Jonas versus Lauren Price in 2023. However, the dedicated platform offered by MVPW promises a sustained and focused spotlight on the sport.
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The shift in the boxing broadcast landscape has seen major promoters like Matchroom, Top Rank, Queensberry, and Golden Boy align with DAZN, limiting Sky Sports’ options. This has prompted the broadcaster to seek partnerships with emerging entities like MVP and Zuffa Boxing, which operate outside the traditional promotional structure.
The deal with MVP, fronted by the polarizing figure of Jake Paul, has raised eyebrows among some boxing purists. However, Sky Sports appears willing to take a calculated risk, betting that the promotional power of Paul and the quality of the fights will attract a wider audience.
Will Sky Sports’ gamble on disruptive promotional companies like MVP and Zuffa Boxing pay off, solidifying its position as a key player in the UK boxing market?
