To mark the launch of BT Sport’s new pay-per-view channel, BT Sport Box Office, this autumn, the broadcaster is offering free coverage of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez versus Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin to BT Sport pubs and clubs.
The hotly anticipated rematch between the two most fearsome middleweights on the planet takes place on 15 September at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena following a controversial draw between the pair in September last year.
The second clash in a three-fight deal, and perhaps the most eagerly anticipated of the year, sees American heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder defend the only belt not held by Brit Anthony Joshua against lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury - who will take on the Bronze Bomber in only his third bout since a two year and seven month layoff.
To round off a trio of elite fights, BT Sport will broadcast a domestic dust up between IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington - who dethroned former champion Lee Selby in front of a packed Elland Road stadium earlier this year – and former two-weight world champion, Belfast's Carl Frampton, who is unbeaten on British soil.
Bruce Cuthbert, director commercial customers, BT Sport commented: “To celebrate the launch of BT Sport Box Office , we’re delighted to be able to offer the first of our blockbuster line up of events, Canelo v GGG 2, free to all of our pub and club customers.”
“This follows our successful entry into boxing just a year ago with Fight Nights on BT Sport which continue to go from strength to strength and we now have the opportunity to make the more exclusive pay-per-view bouts available to pubs and clubs across the UK.”
According to Stonegate Pub Company figures, big nights of boxing have been providing pubs with some of their most profitable trading uplifts – with Anthony Joshua’s unification bout with Joseph Parker providing an average uplift of £1,725 per pub, and an additional 288 customers.
Neil Mckie, operations manager at Stonegate bar chain Walkabout added: “Sport is really important to many of Stonegate’s pubs. People want an event these days, and boxing attracts a cross section of consumers who want the big event atmosphere which they can get in a pub.
“There has definitely been interest in the Tyson Fury fights, initially because of his celebrity status, but the Wilder fight makes things even more serious.
“If Tyson and Joshua were to fight though, that would be as big as Joshua versus Klitschko, in my opinion.”