Sarah Liegmann – from the ring corner: Back on the world stage

Before I get started, I’m really glad you’re here to read my column. It’s going to be chaotic, funny, but mainly 100 percent real. I’ll be sharing lots of anecdotes and experiences from the world of boxing, but also giving you some exciting insights into my everyday madness. And now it’s time to clear the ring!

Saturday, January 10, 2026 – a date that has called German boxing back onto the international stage. Agit Kabayel vs. Damian Knyba as the main fight in the sold-out Rudolf-Weber-Arena in Oberhausen, with many other German match-ups on the undercard.

And yet this evening has a bitter aftertaste – at least in my opinion. If you weren’t there or didn’t have an overpriced DAZN subscription, you couldn’t follow the excitement. Where is the public media like it used to be? Especially now that Germany has a hope in the heavyweight division again, the media should be lining up. However, this does not seem to be the case. I personally find that a great pity. It may be due to a contractual relationship between Queensberry and DAZN, but even on the days leading up to the big fight night there was no extensive coverage on TV from the well-known news channels.

Liegmann: “I have ended my DAZN subscription”

As if the usual subscription fees at DAZN weren’t enough, a pay-per-view tariff was added on top again this time. This is now the rule rather than the exception. Many people find this outrageous. I myself have canceled my DAZN subscription because I no longer want to support the annual price increases and the additional pay-per-view fees. A quick comparison: In 2021, a monthly subscription with all accesses cost 11.99 euros. Today, you pay 44.99 euros for an unlimited plan.

I am very happy for Kabayel that he had the opportunity to fight in front of such a big audience in his home country. As third in the BoxRec world rankings, he has more than earned the biggest stages and the biggest fights. However, I think it’s a shame that promoters Bob Arum, Spencer Brown and Frank Warren haven’t put a women’s fight on the fight card. The focus here is clearly on the heavyweight division.

I hope that this event has set an example – not only for German boxers, but also for German fans. My dream? That promoters with big names bring more events to Germany again and make it internationally lucrative.