German media company ProSiebenSat.1 has acquired rights for fights promoted by the Sauerland boxing agency and plans to launch a new boxing channel.
The length of the agreement was not disclosed, but reports have suggested that the deal is worth $10m (€7.9m) per year and will include eight events in 2015.
The rights will be exploited on commercial channel Sat.1, but Sauerland said that “there are also plans to found a 24/7 boxing channel by ProSiebenSat.1.”
The deal has been agreed after German public-service broadcaster ARD decided against renewing a rights deal with Sauerland beyond the end of this year.
Sauerland promotes leading fighters such as Arthur Abraham (pictured), Juergen Braehmer, Marco Huck and Yoan Pablo Hernandez.
However, Kalle Sauerland, the head of the agency, said that Sat.1’s commitment to showing coverage of up-and-coming fighters such as Jack Culcay, Stefan Haertel, Noel Gevor, Vincent Feigenbutz, Enrico Koelling and Tyron Zeuge had also been crucial in sealing the deal.
“This was one of the major factors in our negotiations with Sat.1,” he said. “We not only want to show the best but also our young fighters on their way to the top. That is and will always be our concept.”