Top tier cards are now available on DAZN. The stable includes Keyshawn Davis, Xander Zayas, Abdullah Mason, Emanuel Navarrete, Raymond Muratalla, O’Shaquie Foster and Bruce Carrington. Belt holders, youthful champions and potential champions all work to the same schedule.

This changes the day-to-day work of creating fights. When everyone is on the same platform, conversations flow faster, conditions are set more transparently, and camps can be organized without external roadblocks slowing down work.

Bob Arum put it clearly.

“Since the day I founded Top Rank 60 years ago, our goal has been plain: acquire the best fighters, develop them into champions and stage the best fights possible. DAZN’s position as the global home of boxing makes this a natural partnership and I am sure it will be extremely beneficial for the fighters, fans and the future of the sport.”

This is a working model, keeping fighters busy, building them up in rounds and moving them into title fights when they are ready.

When fighters share one platform, activity increases and duels are easier to conduct.

The archive is part of the deal and includes fights involving Ali, Leonard, Duran, Hearns, Hagler, Mayweather and Pacquiao.

Shay Segev commented on the platform’s position.

“Boxing belongs on a global stage, and this groundbreaking partnership with Top Rank brings one of the sport’s most iconic promoters and heirs to DAZN – the global home of boxing. DAZN already delivers more premium fight nights than any entertainment platform in the world, and the addition of Top Rank’s elite events and historical archive further strengthens our position. For fans, fighters and the sport, this partnership is one of scale and sets a novel standard for the world-class boxing experience.”

Top Rank now has a defined broadcast center that shapes how players move and how often they compete in the future.

Devin Haney made a surprising introduction to the Gilberto Ramirez vs. David Benavidez fight, which many expected to be a highly competitive cruiserweight fight.

The pair will fight for Ramirez’s WBO and WBA world titles on May 2, headlining the Premier Boxing Champions gala at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Perhaps most interestingly, this is Benavidez’s first appearance at 200 pounds, and the WBC airy heavyweight world champion is looking to become a three-division world champion.

The 29-year-old is doing terrible seventh-round finish over Anthony Yard in November, which followed his consecutive points victories over David Morrell and Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

In search of criticism, it could be said that Benavidez has yet to face a top fighter – like Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev – but he has nonetheless shown promising results in his 175-pound campaign.

Ramirez is also a former super middleweight world champion, but has now established himself as a top cruiserweight after a string of solid unanimous decision victories over Yuniel Dorticos, Chris Billam-Smith and Arsene Goulamirian.

However, despite the Mexican’s 200-pound credentials, WBO welterweight champion Haney seems to think “Zurdo” will be an effortless night for Benavidez, which he strongly predicts Inside the Ring while playfully jabbing at the Mexican’s co-coach, Malik Scott.

“I think it’s a pretty effortless fight for Benavidez. I don’t think ‘Zurdo’ will give him any trouble… Especially since his trainer is Malik Scott, right? Simple.”

Many believe that Benavidez’s hand speed and combination of punches will allow him to win, although it must be said that Ramirez represents a cunning operator who is able to negate certain aspects of his opponent’s style.

Thurman said the titles never motivated him, pointing instead that the real goal was the fights themselves. He presented this as a long-held view rather than something fresh.

“I never really cared about the belts. I cared about the fight,” Thurman told Cigar Talk.

It’s strenuous to take this at face value given his current position. The 37-year-old will face WBC junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora on March 28. Last year, Thurman was scheduled to fight Tim Tszyu for the WBO 154-pound belt before withdrawing due to a biceps injury. The pattern is clear. When opportunities arise, they usually involve titles.

Thurman engaged in fights for money when it was available. He had the same thing with Manny Pacquiao in 2019 and Danny Garcia in 2017. After those nights, he went long distances. This story has made some question his commitment to keeping his activities at the highest level and whether finances are a priority.

He may say the lanes were never the goal, but his path often led through them. Most of his victories came against regular challengers, but the highlights of his career still came in title fights.

If Thurman defeats Fundora, he won’t pursue the belt afterward. He will have options. Vergil Ortiz Jr., Conor Benn and Jaron Ennis are there. The game would also feature the returning Errol Spence. This is where the bar becomes useful, whether it says it matters or not.

He may be downplaying titles now, but if he wins them, he won’t walk away from them.