Bob Arum’s past criticism of DAZN has resurfaced after Top Rank reached a deal to take several of its fight cards to the platform following the end of its partnership with ESPN.
For years, Arum was one of DAZN’s loudest critics in the United States, questioning the service’s reach and warning that fighters tied to the platform risked losing wider exposure.
That history looks different with Top Rank now heading to the same platform Arum once regularly targeted.
Arum Warned Fighters About DAZN
Arum made his view clear when Anthony Joshua headed to DAZN for his American debut against Jarrell Miller in 2019.
Speaking exclusively to World Boxing News at the time, Arum argued that Joshua’s position with Eddie Hearn and DAZN was limiting his ability to grow into a major attraction in the U.S. market.
“You have to understand what’s happening now. Eddie Hearn has put Joshua in the position in where because of his ties to DAZN, which isn’t involved in PPV but has streaming networks, has isolated him,” Arum exclusively told World Boxing News.
“Eddie has really isolated Joshua. The only way Joshua can now fight is on DAZN.”
Arum then delivered the line that has come back into focus this week.
“He’s fighting in the US against Miller but it’s on DAZN. Nobody has DAZN.”
Questions Over Exposure And Value
Those remarks were part of a wider stance Arum took during DAZN’s early push into boxing.
He repeatedly raised doubts about the value of a streaming-only model, particularly for fighters trying to establish themselves in the United States. Arum also questioned whether the platform’s spending matched its reach and frequently pointed to Top Rank’s ESPN partnership as the stronger route for visibility.
At the time, Arum’s position was that major exposure still came from broad television distribution and pay-per-view rather than fighters being tied exclusively to a subscription platform.
Top Rank Now Heads To DAZN
Despite those earlier reservations, Top Rank has now reached an agreement that will see DAZN broadcast several of its cards after the expiration of the promoter’s eight-year run with ESPN.
Industry reports have indicated the deal will cover around eight to ten events per year.
The agreement places Top Rank alongside other major promotional outfits already working with DAZN and highlights how much the boxing broadcast landscape has changed in recent years.
For Arum, it also brings renewed attention to his earlier warning that fighters risked becoming “isolated” on the platform — especially now that Top Rank is preparing to do business there itself.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.
