Promoter Eddie Hearn is optimistic about the pay-per-view (PPV) success of the upcoming Devin Haney vs. Regis Prograis event on DAZN, although he acknowledges it might not reach the heights of fights like Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin or Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia. Hearn expects this event to surpass the PPV buys of Haney’s previous fight against Vasily Lomachenko, which garnered around 100,000 views. The high number of tickets sold for the Haney vs. Prograis fight at the Chase Center in San Francisco could be a positive indicator of the event's PPV potential.
The undercard features a light welterweight bout between Montana Love and Liam Paro, a match-up that Hearn admits might not hold significant appeal for casual boxing fans. Despite this, the high interest in tickets suggests a strong demand for the event overall. Hearn also notes that the robust build-up, including the press conference and weigh-in, is likely to contribute to the PPV’s success.
Hearn further discusses the future prospects for Haney, mentioning potential matches against Teofimo Lopez, Jack Catterall, Richardson Hitchins, and the winner of the Love vs. Paro fight. However, he acknowledges that Haney might be more inclined to seek bigger fights, possibly moving up to welterweight to become a three-division champion. Fights against higher-profile boxers like Gervonta Davis or Ryan Garcia could be more appealing to Haney, as well as matchups with PBC fighters at 147 pounds, such as Mario Barrios or Conor Benn.
Overall, Hearn remains positive about the PPV outcome for Haney vs. Prograis, despite DAZN being relatively new to the PPV model. He believes that as DAZN evolves, their events could attract larger audiences, especially for big fights where substantial purses are involved. This event, therefore, not only represents an important moment for Haney and Prograis but also a significant step in the growth of DAZN’s PPV structure in boxing.
Image Credit: DAZN