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It looks like the DAZN network and Golden Boy Promotions is listening to UFC president Dana White after all, as the boxing partners will wait to start the Canelo Alvarez vs. Sergey Kovalev title fight later tonight (Sat., Nov. 2, 2019) live on DAZN from inside MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, until after the conclusion of UFC 244’s PPV event.
Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) will be officially making his light heavyweight debut in search of Kovalev’s (34-1-1, 29 KOs) WBO title. It will be Canelo’s third fight of his massive contract with DAZN.
The Canelo vs. Kovalev boxing main event was originally expected to compete with UFC 244 and Nate Diaz’s “BMF” title fight opposite Jorge Masvidal, but all parties involved have decided to hold off on the start time. This gives combat fans the opportunity to see both events.
“We saw Dana’s comments about staggering the start times, and we completely agreed,” Joe Markowski DAZN EVP of North America told MMA Fighting. “It’s a huge night for combat sports fans, and they should be able to see both main events live. It was an easy decision.”
With these plans in motion, fight fans can expect Canelo vs. Kovalev to begin sometime around 1 a.m. ET. Again, that will come after the conclusion of UFC 244’s five-fight PPV main card, which is scheduled to begin at 10:00 pm. ET.
If you’re looking to catch some MMA action before the start of Canelo vs. Kovalev, remember to tune into UFC 244 later tonight live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Madison Square Garden in New York City, as Diaz and Masvidal compete for the once-in-a-lifetime “BMF” belt.