BOXING NEWS has been the most enduring love of my life, dating back to the 1980s when my heart would skip a beat as I heard the latest edition land with an unmistakable, papery thud on my parents’ doorstep.
Those feelings intensified when I joined the magazine as a member of staff in 2010 and the affection became borderline uncontrollable upon being made editor in 2015. As with all relationships, there have been some seriously rocky times, particularly when one considers the relationship is anchored in a landscape as volatile as the boxing world. But what we announce today, Boxing News joining forces with iD Sports Media, is without question the most exciting development to happen to BN in all the years we’ve been together.
Most of you reading this will already know what BN is all about. Established in 1909, the mission statement from the first editor, John Murray, said it all: “Boxing [News] will stand for good clean sport. Its success or failure is in the hands of those who believe in sport of this character. Our energies will be devoted to giving the best paper that time, thought and money can devise.” It’s a statement that is still held dear in all that we do, and every word we publish.
Times have changed since 1909, of course. In recent years, with the explosion of social media and digital platforms, BN has stayed relevant and cemented its reputation as the sport’s most trustworthy voice while carving out the biggest social media following of any independent boxing news outlet.
There have been numerous Sports Journalists’ Association awards and recognition aplenty from the Boxing Writers Association of America. Today, Boxing News – a survivor of two world wars and an international pandemic – is as good as it’s ever been on the back of a strong financial year of 2022. We’ve seen an appetite for our hard-hitting copy, for that market-leading journalism which is never fearful of holding the most influential to account, increase in recent years.
But BN has certainly been missing a crucial ingredient. More than once I’ve been asked by certain figures in the sport, ‘When is Boxing News going to get a YouTube channel?’ Well, truth is, we launched one years ago but the problem was convincing the paymasters – up until now always from a print background – that diversification of our content, and the investment needed to produce it, was required to move with the times.
Now we are not only moving with the times, we are shaping the future of boxing journalism. iD Boxing was formed in the summer of 2022 and quickly developed a reputation amongst boxing fans as the go-to boxing channel thanks to Rob Tebbutt and his incredibly talented team. Like BN, the platform – so much more than merely a YouTube channel – has never been afraid to get to the crux of the biggest stories. Forward-thinking in the extreme, iD has produced some incredible content, both on site at the world’s biggest events and from its state-of-the-art studio in London.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to complete the acquisition of one of the biggest sporting institutions in Boxing News,” said Tebbutt. “Since 1909, Boxing News has led the way in its field as a fiercely independent, impartial news source for boxing fans. It is with an immense sense of pride that we at iD Sports Media have the opportunity to build on over 100 years of heritage and take Boxing News forward together.
“The opportunity to add to the splendid work of the BN team was one that is a dream come true for myself as a lifelong boxing fan. I am full of excitement and optimism and have no doubt that this merger will provide a much-needed source of independent and innovative coverage of the world’s greatest sport. I would like to thank our investors KHI for their backing and support of our vision and cannot wait to get started on this new adventure.”
As of now, iD Boxing will become Boxing News, a brand that will continue to deliver award-winning written content, both online and in magazine form alongside ground-breaking visual and audio feasts. iD Boxing’s social media channels will be changing to Boxing News+ and forming a larger ‘Boxing News’ network.
For our loyal subscribers, things will only improve. The magazine will still land with a papery thud on your doorstep, it will still be available in the shops. Our online output will increase, and our visual and audio content will deliver everything and more that followers of iD Boxing have become so accustomed to. From breaking news to documentaries, from big name interviews to big fight analysis, we’ve got you covered. In short, Boxing News is now the one-stop shop for all your boxing needs. Better still, we will take John Murray’s mission statement and run with it. This is all for you, dear boxing fan. You are at the heart of this, you deserve this, and we look forward to engaging with you and hearing exactly what you want from us.
It will of course take us a bit of time to get everything in place. But we’re moving quickly with a spring in our step and excitement in our collective bellies. The future for Boxing News – and all of you wonderful people who read, watch and follow us – is looking very bright indeed.
Matt Christie (Editor)