Tim Tszyu vs Bakhram Murtazaliev for IBF Title.

Article written by: TUFF Glove Boxing

The upcoming Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) event on October 19 will showcase Bakhram Murtazaliev defending his junior middleweight title against Tim Tszyu. However, the significant news is not the matchup itself, but rather the platform it will air on – the event will be available to Amazon Prime Video subscribers instead of being a pay-per-view (PPV) broadcast.

This marks the first time in 2024 that PBC has opted to stream a fight on Prime Video without the need for pay-per-view. Earlier in the year, four other major PBC events – including Tszyu’s clash with Sebastian Fundora, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s bout against Jaime Munguia, Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin, and the September 14 showdown between Canelo and Edgar Berlanga – were all pay-per-view exclusives. (Notably, the preliminary bouts for those events were streamed on regular Prime Video.)

Murtazaliev vs. Tszyu offers a glimpse of hope after a challenging period. It is expected to initiate a new slate of events from one of the top promoters in the U.S., bringing benefits to the fighters, fans, and the sport as a whole.

The current year has not been a strong one for boxing, particularly in the United States. The number of significant fights has been limited, as have the major broadcasts, largely due to two major players withdrawing from the sport.

HBO’s departure from boxing in 2018 was already a blow to the sport, but Showtime following suit last year dealt another significant setback. Showtime’s long-standing history with boxing, combined with the uncertainty it created for the sport’s future, made its exit particularly hard-hitting.

This left fewer networks willing to fund boxing events. For PBC, which had been a key partner of Showtime, the search for a new broadcasting partner became a priority.

Interestingly, some fans welcomed this shift. However, in today’s environment, fans seem to form emotional allegiances with promoters and networks, defending their preferred choices and vilifying others.

While promoters and networks can certainly be lauded or criticized for their choices, the health of the sport is at stake. It’s fair to question the over-reliance on pay-per-view events and the ever-increasing costs for fans. Additionally, issues such as the influence of individuals like Turki Alalshikh and the criminal accusations against Daniel Kinahan and his involvement in the boxing world are valid concerns.

That said, even critics of PBC, including those who argue that their approach contributed to the decline of boxing on multiple platforms, should hope that the organization thrives, not collapses.

Boxing wouldn’t be better off without PBC, or if platforms like DAZN or ESPN ceased to showcase fights. The loss of such platforms would result in fewer fights and fewer opportunities to watch the sport. This would be detrimental to both the athletes and the audience.

While fans need not endorse every decision, they can make their preferences known by supporting worthwhile events with their viewership and money. By tuning in and purchasing tickets or pay-per-view, fans can demonstrate that better matchups attract larger audiences and boost sales.

Fortunately, PBC will soon provide more accessible, affordable fights beyond just pay-per-view.

PBC’s final Showtime event aired on December 16, 2023, featuring David Morrell’s knockout of Sena Agbeko, Jose Valenzuela defeating Chris Colbert, and Robert Guerrero winning his rematch with Andre Berto.

Nine days earlier, on December 7, PBC officially announced their partnership with Amazon. The first joint PPV event occurred nearly four months later, on March 30, 2024, with Tszyu facing Fundora. The first non-PPV event, originally expected for August, was postponed when Caleb Plant’s bout with Trevor McCumby was delayed due to an injury. That fight was rescheduled to take place on the undercard of Canelo vs. Berlanga on September 14.

“We’re taking a gradual approach, which is necessary to establish the infrastructure for live broadcasts,” said Stephen Espinoza, former head of Showtime Sports and an advisor to Amazon’s boxing efforts, in a March interview ahead of Amazon’s debut with Tszyu vs. Fundora.

Espinoza echoed similar sentiments in June prior to the second PPV event, which featured Davis vs. Martin.

“By August, September, and October, we’ll start seeing a regular flow of non-PPV and PPV events, similar to what we’ve been used to,” he said. “That’s when we’ll know everyone is comfortable with the process and ready to hit the ground running.”

In August, PBC spokesperson Tim Smith confirmed that non-PPV events were on the horizon.

“We have a schedule of fights planned for Prime Video,” Smith shared on the Boxing Esq. Podcast. “It’s been a learning curve, but I’m optimistic that 2025 will bring a consistent lineup of events.”

At last, that time is nearly upon us.

Reports from Alan Dawson of World Boxing News indicate that there will be two or three non-PPV events before 2024 concludes, citing unnamed sources. One reason for PBC’s renewed momentum is the return of its leader, Al Haymon, who reportedly stepped away earlier this year for family reasons, according to Dawson.

“It’s no coincidence that the pace of events is picking up,” a PBC insider told Dawson.

Showtime’s exit from boxing led to widespread inactivity among many top fighters in 2023, and this pattern continued into 2024. As a result, several PBC fighters have appeared on events hosted by other promoters.

Some fighters will likely remain on PPV, including Gervonta Davis (whose next opponent is yet to be determined), Errol Spence (who could potentially challenge Fundora), David Benavidez, and possibly Deontay Wilder if he continues his career. However, fans might see more appearances from fighters like:

• Stephen Fulton, who last fought in July 2023 against Naoya Inoue. Fulton, the former unified 122-pound champion, is moving up to 126 pounds for his next bout against Carlos Castro, which will take place on the Canelo vs. Berlanga preliminary card.
• Brandon Figueroa, a featherweight contender who returned from a 14-month layoff with a win over Jessie Magdaleno in May on the Canelo-Munguia undercard.
• Welterweight champions Eimantas Stanionis and Mario Barrios, both of whom fought on the Canelo-Munguia undercard. Stanionis earned a victory against Gabriel Maestre after a two-year hiatus, while Barrios defeated Fabian Maidana and avoided significant inactivity in 2023 and 2024. Barrios was once linked to a potential fight against Manny Pacquiao, but that matchup is now less likely following Pacquiao’s exhibition performance.
• Gary Antonio Russell, a bantamweight contender who has not fought since his first career defeat nearly two years ago, and his brother, junior welterweight contender Gary Antuanne Russell, who will need to rebound from a split decision loss in June on the Davis-Martin undercard.
• Middleweight titleholder Carlos Adames, whose win over Terrell Gausha on the Davis-Martin undercard was his first fight in nearly a year.
• Junior middleweight contender Erickson Lubin, who has won two consecutive fights since his 2022 loss to Fundora but hasn’t fought since September 2023.

There are plenty of others, from up-and-coming prospects to veteran fighters. The reasons for their inactivity may vary, but we should soon see more of them as PBC’s schedule is unveiled.

It remains to be seen how many fights will be part of this first wave, and how appealing those matchups will look on paper. Announcements may trickle in gradually, but at least this is a start.

While Murtazaliev vs. Tszyu offers a glimmer of hope, there’s still a long way to go before boxing reaches a healthier state, where the top fighters are more active and compete against each other more frequently.