YouTube is set to partner with an ambitious boxing promoter in a bid to host the largest live audience in the sport's history, targeting a staggering crowd of nearly 150,000 fans. The event, planned for San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza, aims to shatter an 85-year-old record.
Ambitious Plans for a Historic Night
Organisers from the promotional start-up iVisit Boxing (IVB) revealed the plans to the Daily Mail. The project, part of their 'Iconic' series of events for 2026, will be officially announced on Friday. The current world record for the largest boxing crowd stands at 135,132, set in August 1941 when Tony Zale fought Billy Pryor in Milwaukee.
This modern attempt will take place on July 11, transforming the Civic Center Plaza into a vast open-air arena. A ring will be erected in front of City Hall, and in a bold move to ensure a full house, the vast majority of tickets will be offered for free.
Usyk in the Frame and a 'Cultural Moment'
While the full fight card is yet to be finalised, IVB has been linked with a huge name: undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. IVB chief Ed Pereira did not dismiss the possibility when questioned. "We are open to working with all promoters, managers, content creators and fighters," Pereira told the Daily Mail. "So of course we’d be open to speaking to a boxer of that calibre. Who wouldn’t want Usyk on their card?"
Pereira, who helped orchestrate a boxing event in New York's Times Square in May 2025, emphasised that the July spectacle will be "more than just a fight." It is slated to include a music festival and a fan village, forming part of a mission to "bring boxing back to the people." The entire event will be streamed live on YouTube.
YouTube's Push into Live Sports Broadcasting
This venture marks another significant step for YouTube in broadcasting major live sports, following its stream of the NFL Brazil game in Sao Paulo. Pereira drew a direct parallel, stating, "We are doing exactly the same as what the NFL did. This partnership with YouTube puts us in the next league."
He highlighted the platform's universal accessibility as a key driver. "Everyone has YouTube on their phones," Pereira said, noting the goal is to attract casual fans as well as die-hard boxing enthusiasts. The partnership, he explained, is rooted in a shared "commitment to cultural moments" in San Francisco, California, and for a global audience.
The event also represents a potential renaissance for boxing in San Francisco. Once considered a fighting 'mecca' that produced legends like 'Gentleman' Jim Corbett, the city has been a boxing backwater for decades, with major American fights consistently held in Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles, and Atlantic City.
