Six months after the DAZN Ultimate experiment ended, boxing fans finally have a clearer picture of what the platform says justifies the $44.99 monthly fee.

The subscription – costing $449.99 upfront or $539.88 over twelve monthly payments – was marketed as the next step in boxing’s evolution, promising access to at least twelve premium events per year.

When DAZN introduced this package, World Boxing News was already questioning how a service built on claims of ending pay-per-view could suddenly offer fans a premium tier with a price tag of more than $500 per year. The fine print only intensified the backlash, and the idea of ​​providing a year-round premium experience seemed even more ambitious when the numbers were compared to boxing’s own pay-per-view history.

Now, with the first six main fights of 2026 on the schedule, the question is no longer theoretical.

Do they really justify the cost?

Cost to fans

One thing becomes obvious from the very beginning. It’s difficult to ignore the difference between what US and UK subscribers pay.

DAZN Ultimate costs viewers in the UK the equivalent of around $33 a month – which is over ten dollars less than the price in the US – even though there is no significant difference between the events themselves.

Three of the first six cards are clearly aimed at a European audience, with American names appearing on the schedule to raise recognition around the world.

However, it is the American subscriber who pays the highest price.

If a US fan pays a monthly fee but skips the UK-specific cards, the math quickly becomes awkward. In this situation, the viewer actually pays Either way, $67.99 for a single pay-per-view moviewhich makes the value proposition increasingly complex to defend.

Promise to end PPV

DAZN originally entered boxing promising to disrupt the pay-per-view model with a cheaper subscription alternative. Over time, however, this strategy evolved into something completely different.

The platform signed contracts with promoters from across the sport and concentrated the most critical events in one service. Whether they are marked as pay-per-view or not, fans who want to catch up on the biggest fights now have no choice but to subscribe.

As the rankings below show, the bigger issue is whether there are really twelve fights per year that deserve a PPV tag at all.

Even during HBO’s golden era – when stars like Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley dominated the industry – HBO rarely hosted more than eight pay-per-view events in a single year.

This lack of truly blockbuster fights may also explain some of the unusual pairings appearing on the calendar – including the spectacle of the reigning heavyweight champion stepping into the ring with a kickboxing star. Concerns were already raised when questions were raised about whether the Moses Itauma vs. Jermaine Franklin fight could become part of the DAZN Ultimate sales, and the same issue continues to hang over the schedule even though it did not ultimately materialize.

One fight that really stands out is David Benavidez vs. Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. A fight that probably wouldn’t have happened without the financial incentive of a premium event. Even then, the difference in weight between the two films is indicative of the promotional engineering required to justify a pay-per-view headline.

Overall, the first six fights scheduled for 2026 don’t fully justify the pay-per-view tag, especially considering Turki Alalshikh previously told fans he intended to make these types of pay-per-view fights free.

For boxing fans who want to watch these events legally, the reality is straightforward. This sport currently costs over $500 per year.

In an ideal world, the number would probably need to be closer to half that amount to represent true value.

WBN’s rating of the first six “best” DAZN events

Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson – 7/10
A high-level match between elite fighters, but still the type of fight that would traditionally headline a main network card rather than a premium standalone fight on pay-per-view.

Ryan Garcia vs. Mario Barrios – 6/10
To appear on a pay-per-view, you need two recognizable names. When the event is centered primarily around one star, that athlete must be in form and undoubtedly worthy of attention.

Deontay Wilder vs. Derek Chisora ​​– 4/10
This fight was never considered a pay-per-view event, even when Wilder held the WBC title and Chisora ​​was closer to his peak. Fans should receive these matchups as part of their subscription.

David Benavidez vs. Zurdo Ramirez – 8/10
The only fight on the schedule that could really make a pay-per-view case – though even in the more PPV-friendly era of boxing a decade ago, it still may have struggled to justify the price tag.

Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley – 3/10
American subscribers are surely wondering why this fight counts towards their twelve annual pay-per-view subscriptions at $44.99 per month. Extremely complex to justify at this level.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven – 2/10
A fight that probably shouldn’t have happened at this point in Usyk’s career, let alone for a world title. It looks more like a $9.99 novelty than a $44.99 hit.

WBN’s overall rating of the first six “best” DAZN events

5.0/10

After six fights in the experiment, DAZN still has six months to deliver the twelve premium events promised under the Ultimate plan.

However, if the first six are a benchmark, the platform may find that filling the remaining fights with actual pay-per-view-level fights is much more complex than the marketing suggests.

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.