LONDON, England — Boxxer have announced Thursday a new broadcast deal that will bring professional boxing back to traditional BBC programming for the first time in two decades.

The promotional company founded and run by Ben Shalom have spent the last four years locked into an exclusive £36million contract with Sky Sports, but when that deal was not renewed they needed a new platform.

The two largest promoters in the UK, Queensberry and Matchroom, are aligned with DAZN but Boxxer have agreed a potentially significant deal to show world-class professional boxing on "Saturday night primetime television and BBC iPlayer on a free-to-air basis," a statement said.

As well as fight nights shown on linear BBC television, it has been confirmed that selected undercard fights and behind-the-scenes content will be available on iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app.

However, as yet, there has been no official confirmation about the length of the deal, how many fight nights will be included or even which of the BBC television channels will show the boxing. One source told The Ring that the initial deal could start with two specified dates on BBC 2.

As of Thursday evening, there were no details of which boxers would be involved in the first Boxxer fight night on the BBC.

Shalom said: “Partnering with the BBC to deliver big-time British boxing on Saturday night TV is an historic moment. We’re proud to bring the most entertaining British fighters to the biggest possible audience. This huge platform will give our fights the exposure they deserve and helps us take the sport to huge new audiences.”

Meanwhile, Director of BBC Sport Alex Kay-Jelski added: “Bringing professional boxing back to primetime BBC television, free-to-air, and to our extensive digital platforms is an exciting moment for us and for boxing fans.

“Boxing is a sport that we know deeply resonates with younger audiences and this deal with Boxxer enables us to showcase the next generation of British fighters — delivering top-tier national boxing moment to all audiences, wherever and however they want it.”

Although boxing has been shown on other terrestrial television with ITV and Channel 5 in recent years, Boxxer will bring primetime professional fight nights back to a BBC audience for the first time since Clinton Woods beat Rico Hoye to win the IBF light heavyweight title in March 2005.