Sky Sports snatch Anthony Joshua v Oleksandr Usyk TV rights from DAZN

Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight title rematch with Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk in Jeddah next month has ended up on Sky Sports Box Office with the broadcaster having been locked in a high-stakes bidding contest with DAZN.

Despite the former heavyweight world champion signing a long-term deal with DAZN to follow promoter Eddie Hearn in leaving their previous home, Sky, after nine years, Telegraph Sport understands that the bidding process reached over £28million on Thursday night with the two going head-to-head for the right to broadcast the title fight on pay-per-view, with Sky delivering a last-ditch coup in the career of Joshua.

With the Saudi Arabian organisation, backed by the government in that country, holding the global television rights to the contest - the Saudis having paid a reported £98m to host the contest in the Middle East - the winner of the television rights battle will broadcast the megafight from Jeddah, with the venue also set to be confirmed in the coming days. The BBC is also understood to have been involved in the bidding process, but has not tabled a bid close to the two frontrunners.

Joshua's deal with DAZN was announced in mid-June, understood to be a five-year, 10-fight deal which could net the British fighter $100m a year, but with Sky claiming the broadcasting rights, it represents a major boost for the television network given Joshua's high-profile departure. The non-disclosure of the television deal was the elephant in the room when Usyk and Joshua were in London last week to promote their contest, the most important fight of Joshua's 27-fight career.     

Joshua lost three heavyweight belts to Usyk on points last September in London. Talks are already under way for the winner to take on Fury