DAZN Reportedly Buys Controlling Stake in The Ring

DAZN has reportedly agreed to acquire a controlling interest in The Ring magazine and its championship belts, putting one of boxing's oldest rankings authorities under the ownership of a broadcaster that also pays for and streams the fights it covers.

Tris Dixon reported the agreement on Total Boxing, citing multiple sources. One told Dixon that Turki Alalshikh sold controlling interest of The Ring magazine and belt to DAZN, while another said the sale happened "quite a while ago." A third source described the process as still ongoing, leaving open whether the deal has formally closed, and Dixon reported the agreement itself was believed to have been reached more than two weeks ago. DAZN declined to confirm or deny the transaction, citing its policy on market speculation involving acquisitions, partnerships, and rights deals.

Alalshikh bought The Ring outright from Oscar De La Hoya in November 2024 for a reported $10 million.

Why This Matters for Boxing's Rankings and Belts

The Ring's credibility has always rested on the idea that its rankings and world titles are independent of promotional or broadcast interests. A broadcaster acquiring control changes that dynamic, because DAZN has a direct commercial stake in the outcomes and matchups it streams. That raises real questions about who appoints The Ring's editors, who runs its rankings panel, and whether those people can make calls that cut against DAZN's own business interests. A broadcaster benefiting from promoting a fighter who happens to hold a Ring title doesn't prove interference on its own, but it's exactly the kind of overlap that makes editorial firewalls matter. When Alalshikh announced his purchase in 2024, he pledged the magazine would remain fully independent. Any new controlling owner inherits that same expectation, and fighters, promoters, and bettors will be watching to see if it holds.

Does This Change Anything for Turki Alalshikh and Zuffa Boxing?

No. A sale of The Ring's ownership says nothing about Alalshikh's other boxing ventures. There is no indication he is stepping back from Zuffa Boxing or his broader promotional work in the sport. This is a media and belt-ownership story, not a signal about his future as a promoter.

For bettors, the practical impact shows up less in any single fight line and more in how boxing's rankings get used to set up title fights and mandate situations down the road. If The Ring's belts and rankings carry a broadcaster's thumbprint, oddsmakers and matchmakers alike will be paying closer attention to which fighters get fast-tracked toward Ring gold, since that can shape future co-main and pay-per-view placement as much as any sanctioning body's say-so.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did DAZN buy The Ring magazine?

DAZN has reportedly agreed to acquire a controlling interest in The Ring magazine and its championship belts, according to a report by Tris Dixon on Total Boxing citing multiple sources. DAZN has declined to confirm or deny the transaction.

Who owned The Ring magazine before DAZN's reported deal?

Turki Alalshikh purchased The Ring outright from Oscar De La Hoya in November 2024 for a reported $10 million before reportedly agreeing to sell a controlling interest to DAZN.

Does the DAZN-Ring deal mean Turki Alalshikh is leaving boxing promotion?

No, the reported deal concerns ownership of The Ring magazine only and gives no indication that Turki Alalshikh is stepping away from Zuffa Boxing or his broader promotional work.