"DAZN needs a big fight" - Shane McGuigan on why Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn was booked

Boxing trainer Shane McGuigan believes DAZN made Conor Benn vs. Chris Eubank Jr. official because they need to have a big fight in the UK.

In an interview with iD Boxing, McGuigan said:

"DAZN [needs] a big fight. They’ve lost AJ vs.Usyk... They need to make a stand in the game — they don’t have the subscription that they should... They [brought in] great viewership with Canelo, but it has not really taken off here. I think this, for them, is the perfect opportunity to really have a massive fight — a mega fight.”

Watch the full interview here:

DAZN recently signed an eye-popping, multi-fight deal with Anthony Joshua. The deal included a multitude of perks, including equity for Joshua. However, it did not include what is currently the biggest fight of his career. Joshua lost his world championship belts in his last fight against Oleksander Usyk and must beat him to become champion once again.

Surprisingly, the fight has landed on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. Sky have shown all of Joshua’s previous fights in the United Kingdom and are the biggest broadcaster in the country.

DAZN have been trying to disrupt the status quo and challenge Sky in the UK. According to McGuigan, subscribership is low, and they are trying to do all they can to change that.

The company recently announced a link-up with KSI, and before that, the platform worked with Matchroom Boxing and Golden Boy Promotions. Now Swarmz vs KSI will not only be the first DAZN PPV, but the first Influencer fight promoted by the platform.

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The first UK-based DAZN Matchroom PPV will be Conor Benn vs. Chris Eubank Jr.

Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr. are not the likeliest of opponents due to them competing in different weight classes. Their fathers, on the other hand, were involved in one of the biggest rivalries in British boxing history. Now the pair's sons will come together to fight on October 8, around 29 years after the original Benn-Eubank II.

Listen to Eubank Jr. discuss this fight and its relationship to his father's legacy:

Regarding the bout, Shane McGuigan said:

“I would just be a little more skeptical, [about Benn] winning. I believe Eubank is going to be too big”

Whether the fight is the best career move for Matchroom’s Conor Benn has been questioned. He will be taking a huge step up in the level of opponent, and in addition to this, Benn is fighting a much bigger competitor who knows how to take advantage of it.