After a positive 2025, one of the UK’s fastest-rising promotional companies is looking to take its brand to the next level this year.
GBM Sports finished runner-up in the Boxing News 2025 Promoter of the Year award, placing ahead of established names Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn and only behind global powerhouse Turki Alalshikh.
Promoter Izzy Asif enjoyed a breakout year, securing a broadcast deal with DAZN, promoting the company’s first world title fight – Terri Harper vs Natalie Zimmerman in May – and launching the critically acclaimed tournament The Heist.
The eight-man super-middleweight competition was won by Essex southpaw James Osbourne (13-1, 3 KOs), who stopped Ryszard Lewicki in the first round of the final.
GBM have begun 2026 with a bang after announcing that The Heist will go global following a groundbreaking strategic partnership with Australian sports medicine company Rygg.
The journey begins in Dubai in April and will eventually see the tournament travel to five countries across four continents. GBM Sports CEO Izzy Asif believes the move represents a major step forward for the company.
“The Heist proved in its debut that one-night tournaments are the future of boxing – pure adrenaline, no fillers, just warriors risking it all for glory and big money. Partnering with Rygg allows us to take this concept global, bringing The Heist to new markets and new fans across multiple continents while equipping our fighters with world-class performance and recovery support.
“2026 is going to be massive. This is the next level for GBM Sports and for boxing worldwide.”
