In a surprising move, the anticipated October 12th event featuring the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol light heavyweight undisputed championship will be split across two networks. While the main event between Beterbiev and Bivol will be available on ESPN+ as part of a regular subscription, Shakur Stevenson’s bout against Joe Cordina will headline a DAZN PPV undercard.
This unusual broadcast arrangement is really something new to the boxing community. Fans will need to pay to watch Stevenson defend his WBC lightweight title against former IBF super featherweight champion Cordina on DAZN PPV, while the Beterbiev-Bivol clash - arguably the main attraction - will be accessible to ESPN+ subscribers without additional cost.
This decision might lead to criticism, particularly if the Stevenson-Cordina fight fails to draw significant PPV numbers. Given that Cordina is not well-known in the U.S. and is coming off a loss, the matchup has already garnered a lukewarm response from fans.
For many, the real draw of the night is the unification bout between IBF, WBC, and WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and WBA champion Dmitry Bivol. Fans eager to see this high-stakes battle won’t have to deal with the rest of the DAZN PPV card if they choose to watch only the main event on ESPN+.
Still, the DAZN PPV undercard does include some notable fights, such as middleweight Chris Eubank Jr. taking on Kamil Szeremeta and a heavyweight rematch between Frazer Clark and Fabio Wardley. However, for many fans, these matchups pale in comparison to the Beterbiev-Bivol showdown.
Read more about the full card of Beterbiev-Bivol event here.
Image Credit: Sky Sports