Sports streamer DAZN has unveiled a landmark partnership with social media megastar KSI and his promotional firm Misfits Boxing. The deal, in association with the Sauerland brothers, Wasserman Boxing and Proper Loud, will see KSI fights and MF & DAZN: X Series events broadcast exclusively on DAZN for the next five years.
The announcement follows the success of the MF & DAZN: X Series to date, which has seen unprecedented numbers tuning in to watch the drama live and on-demand. The first show, headlined by KSI in August, attracted 2 million global viewers on DAZN (with 90% tuning in being first time subscribers to DAZN), with the highlights and build-up content generating a further 30 million views across DAZNs social platforms.
The new partnership will bring five more years of crossover drama and boxing action to DAZN subscribers, and will feature “the biggest global names in entertainment, sport, and lifestyle”. Joe Markowski, CEO DAZN North America, said: “The MF&DAZN: X Series has quickly proved to be hugely popular, driving significant new audiences and engaging a new generation of sports fans. We are extremely excited to be partnering with KSI, Wasserman Boxing, Mams Taylor and the entire Misfits team.”
KSI, CEO of Misfits Boxing, added: “This is a massive agreement between everyone involved with Misfits Boxing, and I personally couldn’t be more excited for what this means for everyone moving forwards. It just shows everyone is here to establish a long-serving crossover boxing promotion that aims to provide ultimate entertainment and somewhere the fans and fighters can call home. Misfits Boxing is here to stay.
Co-President of Misfits Boxing and CEO of Proper Loud, Mams Taylor added: “Misfits Boxing was birthed to give the fans crossover boxing of the highest quality, and a promotion that is as much theirs as it is ours. The success, due to the fantastic partnership between KSI, DAZN, KSI, Wasserman Boxing and myself, has meant that we can continue to remain the established home of this sport.”
The most recent event, MF & DAZN: X Series 004, saw KSI and Faze Temper fight it out in an epic grudge match at the OVO Arena Wembley in London on January 14.
KSI’s reinvention as a cross-over boxing star began in 2018 with a bout against fellow British YouTuber Joe Weller. However the concept really took off when KSI and Logan Paul fought each other in a series of events across 2018 and 2019. While boxing traditionalist have been uncomfortable with this recent development, there’s no question that the sport has seen a revival of interest as a result of such events.
