Lawyers from the Bristol office of national firm Clarke Willmott have acted as UK advisors on a complex, multi-million pound deal that has created a new global boxing brand.
Wasserman Boxing has been formed by US-based sports and entertainment agency Wasserman’s acquisition of renowned German boxing promoters Team Sauerland. 
The new Los Angeles-headquartered company will now take on some of the big promotion brands in the UK and US.
Wasserman was advised by a multi-disciplinary team from Clarke Willmott, with corporate and commercial solicitors Rob Ridd and Barney Sykes working on the UK corporate side of the transaction and managing the complex multi-jurisdictional process.
At the same time Tim Copplestone, a Clarke Willmott employment solicitor with expertise in the sporting sector, advised Wasserman on the UK employment side of the transaction including new arrangements for Team Sauerland individuals.
Clarke Willmott partner Rob Ridd, pictured, said: “This was not only a high-profile deal, it was also complex in nature with complicated cross-border elements, working with the US and Germany.
“Our team sourced appropriate local advice at the outset and completed an in-depth due diligence process. 
“We also drafted and negotiated all the documentation and closely managed the execution process involving the remote electronic signature of a large number of completion documents.
“Wasserman is an important and long-standing client of ours and we are pleased to have assisted them in this major deal to create one of the world’s leading boxing propositions, adding a further arm to Wasserman’s global sports marketing portfolio.”
Prior to the deal Wasserman’s boxing client base included former super middleweight world champion George Groves and London 2012 bronze medallist Anthony Ogogo.
The firm also represents more than 2,000 individuals across 42 sports including Leicester and England footballer Jamie Vardy, and US stars such as soccer player Megan Rapinoe, footballer Marshawn Lynch, basketball player Russell Westbrook and golfer Rickie Fowler.
Team Sauerland has promoted more than 50 world champions across multiple weight classes since it was founded in 1978, including current fighters such as Mairis Briedis, Filip Hrgovic and Chris Eubank Jr.
Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed, although Boxing News described it as ‘multi-million pound’.
Wasserman Boxing will be headed by Fahri Ecvet, Dean Baker and brothers Kalle and Nisse Sauerland, who founded which was founded Team Sauerland.
Thomas Kuhnle and Michael Ströbel of Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft advised on the German law aspects of the transaction.
Clarke Willmott also has offices in Birmingham, Cardiff, London, Manchester, Southampton and Taunton.
