Matchroom has added Ben Whittaker to its April 18 card in Liverpool, with Callum Smith taking on David Morrell at the M&S Bank Arena. The undefeated 2020 Olympic silver medalist will return to the card in an event that already has world-class significance in the lightweight heavyweight division.

The move gets Whittaker dynamic again, but it doesn’t answer the bigger question of where his career is headed. Right now, it looks more like Matchroom is giving him visibility on the main platform rather than pushing him to make significant progress. Whittaker (10-0-1, 7 KO) remains undefeated, but his record still lacks opponents that would place the fighter in the sedate part of the division.

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Last updated: 20/03/2026 at 15:18

Zuffa Boxing and Sky Sports announced on Wednesday a multi-year broadcast agreement that will see Sky become the UK and Ireland broadcaster of all Zuffa Boxing events and commit to at least five shows per year in the UK. The deal gives Dana White’s promotional venture a enduring foothold in Europe’s largest boxing market less than two months after the first Paramount+ card was released.

The transaction was confirmed by a joint statement from TKO Group Holdings and Sky. The first Zuffa gala to be broadcast on Sky Sports will be Zuffa Boxing 05: Cortes vs. Garcia, which will take place on April 5 live from Meta Apex in Las Vegas, and in the main event, undefeated rising contender Andres Cortes (24-0, 13 KO) will face Eridson Garcia (23-1, 14 KO). On the fight card, former world champion Mark Magsayo (28-2, 18 KO) will face Irish Feargal McCrory (17-1, 9 KO).

The pace of expansion

The deal with Sky Sports limits a scope of activities that is unusual even by UFC standards. Since Paramount+ Zuffa Boxing’s first event on January 23 – Callum Walsh vs. Carlos Ocampo at Meta Apex – the promotion has progressed at a pace unmatched by any recent boxing venture in newfangled memory.

The timeline tells the story. On January 23, Zuffa Boxing 01 launched on Paramount+, with Walsh headlining the match against Ocampo. On February 1 at Zuffa Boxing 02, Jose Valenzuela vs. Diego Torres. On February 15, Efe Ajagba headlined Zuffa Boxing 03. On February 20, Conor Benn was announced as the first signing of the Zuffa brand, leaving Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, which sent shockwaves through the industry and was estimated to be worth $15 million for a single fight. On February 24, Zuffa published a graphic showing 96 signed players from different divisions. On February 26, TKO president Mark Shapiro confirmed that Zuffa would promote the Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov heavyweight fight on April 11 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, broadcast worldwide on Netflix. On March 8, Jai Opetaia defeated Brandon Glanton for Zuffa’s inaugural cruiserweight championship. And now, on March 18, the Sky Sports deal.

That means four promoted cards, a squad approaching 100 players, the crowning of a world champion, a US broadcast deal worth $100 million per year, a UK broadcast deal with one of the most established sports networks in Europe, a Tottenham Hotspur Stadium event with Tyson Fury on Netflix and a major signing of one of Britain’s most famed fighters – all in less than eight weeks.

What does heaven get?

Sky Sports has been synonymous with British boxing for over three decades. The network broadcast Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank’s rivalry in the 1990s, Naseem Hamed’s career, Ricky Hatton’s career, Anthony Joshua’s rise through the heavyweight ranks and the Matchroom Boxing card years before Hearn moved the UK production of Matchroom to DAZN in 2021. Sky later partnered with BOXXER, but that deal ended. Zuffa deal brings premium boxing back to the platform.

Sky Sports UK and Ireland chief executive Jonathan Licht described the deal as a renewal of the network’s long-standing relationship with sport.

“Sky Sports has been a long-term partner of boxing for over 30 years,” Licht said. “Zuffa Boxing has exhilarating plans for the sport and we share the same ambition when it comes to delivering the best fights for our customers.”

White saw the deal as indispensable to Zuffa’s international ambitions.

“Britain has played a key role in the history of boxing,” White said. “The fans there are some of the most true and passionate in the world. When it comes to boxing in this region, Sky Sports has always been home to legendary boxing matches. There is no bigger or better platform to showcase the best boxing in the UK.”

British list

The Sky Sports deal gains immediate significance in featherlight of Zuffa’s existing commitments in the UK. Conor Benn is scheduled to fight Regis Prograis in the 150-pound catchweight on April 11 at the Fury-Makhmudov gala in Tottenham. Benn, who left Matchroom after a decade of cooperation, brings one of the biggest names in British boxing to the Zuffa stable and gives Sky a fighter that his audience already knows.

Cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, who won Zuffa’s first title on March 8, adds legitimacy to the championship. According to records, this promotion is also related to ongoing talks with Edgar Berlanga, Shakur Stevenson and Richardson Hitchins. various industry reportsalthough none of these signatures have been confirmed.

Competitive image

The deal with Sky Sports puts Zuffa in direct competition with DAZN on the British market. DAZN offers Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy and – as of today – Top Rank. Sky now wears Zuffa. For British boxing fans, the sport’s two dominant promotional ecosystems will play out on two different platforms, creating a competitive active not seen in the UK since the Sky-BT Sport rivalry in the mid-2010s.

The agreement also has a legal basis. Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions has filed a $1 billion lawsuit against TKO and Sela over the creation of Zuffa Boxing, alleging violations related to exclusivity and data-sharing agreements. Sela has publicly rejected these claims. The agreement with Sky Sports, signed during vigorous legal proceedings, signals the broadcaster’s confidence in Zuffa’s sustainability regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit.

White made it clear that the signing frenzy is not abating. “We will continue to sign not only the best players in the world, but also players who we believe have the potential to be world champions one day,” he said. Heavenly sports after the announcement.

According to both sides, a more detailed Zuffa Boxing fight schedule for the remainder of 2026 will be released in the coming weeks. BoxingInsider.com’s complete broadcast and streaming guide has been updated to reflect the recent deal.

Usyk recently rejected the idea of ​​meeting the 21-year-old, claiming he didn’t want to “break” him. The Ukrainian pointed to Itauma’s age and experience, pointing out that the priority should be rounds, development and building through the ranks.

Chisora ​​agreed with this position and outlined the path he believed Itauma should follow before calling for an attack on the summit.

“Why would he fight Itauma? Did Itauma win the British title? Did he win the European title? Did he win the English title?

“Everyone has steps to take, I think Moses Itauma should go and win the European title, British title and other belts.

“He should fight Fabio [as he’s ranked No.2 with the WBO]. It’s a good fight for Fabio.”

Usyk, now 39, has already outlined how he wants to end his career. The fight with Rico Verhoeven is scheduled for May 23, followed by a fight on May 9 against the winner of Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois for the vacant WBO title he once held.

A third meeting with Tyson Fury, whom Usyk overtook twice in 2024, remains on the table provided both continue to win.

This keeps Itauma out of the picture despite being one of the top fighters in the division. He returns on March 28 against Jermaine Franklin, which will be a test of his progress against a strong opponent.

Itauma has power and arm speed, but still needs rounds against men who can push him and force him to rebuild under pressure.

Chisora’s suggestion of Wardley brings its own complications as both players are linked to manager Ben Davison. Itauma admitted that the route through Dubois, should he beat Wardley, could provide a clearer path to the title.

In the heavyweight division, fighters typically progress through the British and European ranks before competing for the title.