Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight loses over $100 million due to mass scale illegal streaming
The Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight has become the victim of illegal streaming to a significant extent. With the popularity of combat sports on the rise, and the internet expanding more each year, many fight fans take to illegal streaming sites to watch their favorite matchups.
Fury's clash with Usyk, which pitted two unbeaten heavyweights in a bout that crowned the division's undisputed kingpin, was reportedly watched by a minimum of 20 million viewers on illegal streaming sites. This led to a massive revenue loss for TV rights owners of over $100 million.
According to the Daily Mail, a Yield Sec for Mail Sport analysis unveiled over 2000 streaming locations from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia alone, which was where the fight was held. Despite the likes of Sky Sports, DAZN, and TNT Sport having bought the rights to broadcast the fights, fans still opted to use illegal streaming sites instead.
The report states that 18% of illegal viewers were based in the United Kingdom, while 45% were in Europe, 25% in North America, and 16% in Asia. The matchup was the biggest heavyweight bout boxing has had for some time, with Fury and Usyk laying claim to all-time great status.
Despite shining in the early and middle portions of the bout, Fury found himself unable to ward off Usyk's pressure, with the Ukranian legend being relentless with his work on the front foot. He also managed to rock Fury badly in round 9, knocking him down, with only the ropes keeping the Englishman up.
In the end, Usyk's hand was raised, and he won via split decision to add Fury's WBC heavyweight title to his collection of WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring belts.
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk isn't the only bout to be impacted by illegal streaming
While the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk card is the most recent combat sports event to be impacted by the rise in illegal streaming, other events have suffered the same fate. For example, the UFC has been impacted severely enough that the promotion has taken legal measures against illegal streamers.
Check out Dana White talking about fighting illegal streamers:
UFC CEO Dana White has been vocal about the war he's waging on illegal streamers, claiming to have even apprehended one of them, though he did not specify who it was.