A British Boxing promoter’s future in the sport has been left uncertain after losing his broadcast partnership with DAZN.
GBM Sports is a UK-based professional boxing promotion founded in 2022 by former boxer Izzy Asif.
Azif become the first British-Pakistani born boxing promoter.
Despite being a relatively new company, it has quickly established itself as a rising force in British and international boxing by delivering competitive fight cards and high-energy events.
The promotion gained wider exposure through broadcast partnerships with DAZN and talkSPORT, helping its events reach a global audience.
One of its most notable innovations is “The Heist,” a fast-paced one-night tournament format designed to create excitement and reward fighters with significant prize money.
Known for prioritising evenly matched bouts and strong production values, GBM Sports has positioned itself as an ambitious and modern promoter aiming to expand its footprint both in the UK and internationally.
In his short career as a promoter, Izzy Asif has already showcased world championship boxing on his shows.
As well as this, Asif and GBM have put on a stadium event, highlighting the traction and support his events have generated.
The second edition of the Heist is set for April 17th in Sheffield.
However, after 18 months, DAZN have decided to not renew their broadcast deal with GBM Sports despite their events performing extremely well on the platform.
In a statement released today, Izzy Asif has stated: “Of course the outcome is disappointing”.
“Anyone who has built something from nothing understands how much goes into it”.
“I am proud of the audiences reached, the momentum built, and the standard delivered, all achieved through organic development from the ground up”.
Sources close to Boxing King Media can exclusively reveal that Izzy Asif has also been unsuccessful in having talks with other broadcasters such as Sky Sports and Channel 5.
Despite investing thousands of his own money from start-up and developing a wonderful product for fight fans, it seems that Izzy Asif may be black-balled out of the sport, highlighting the ruthless nature of the industry.
Sky Sports have recently announced a partnership with American outfit Most Valuable Promotions (MVP).
In addition to this, it is believed Zuffa Boxing and Dana White are close to agreeing a broadcast deal with Sky Sports.
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