The music world may soon witness a very different kind of duet: a cash-filled showdown in a ring between pop megastar Ed Sheeran and his 44-year-old cousin, producer-rapper Jethro Sheeran who performs under the name Alonestar. A promoter has tabled a six-round, three-minutes-each celebrity boxing bout and attached a £1 million purse to the offer, turning a bitter family argument into a potential televised spectacle. At 35, Ed has never publicly trained as a boxer, yet the allure of a seven-figure payday and an opportunity to “clear the air” appears to have tipped the scales toward consideration.
The financial calculus is striking. Should the fight go the scheduled distance, the younger Sheeran would earn £55,555 for each minute he spends inside the ropes – roughly £925.93 for every second of combat. Jethro who would receive a smaller share, is already enlisting former world champion Joe Calzaghe as his personal trainer, signalling serious intent. Organisers envision the clash at London’s 7,500-seat Copper Box Arena with the event potentially broadcast via pay-per-view or a live-stream, contingent on sponsor backing.
The £1 million proposition
The headline figure of £1 million is not merely a marketing gimmick; it reflects a multi-layered revenue model. Ticket salessponsorship packages and broadcast rights are expected to cover the guarantee while still delivering profit to Speed Star Promotions. A typical ticket price range of £50-£150 could generate between £375,000 and £1.1 million from gate receipts alone.
Money breakdown
In addition, a pay-per-view price set at £20 per household could add another £300,000 if 15,000 viewers subscribe. These streams of income would not only satisfy the £1 million guarantee but also leave ample margin for both fighters, their teams, and the promotion company. The financial incentive therefore extends beyond a single payday, offering long-term branding opportunities for the participants.
The feud that sparked the challenge
The animosity dates back to 2014, when Ed’s label instructed him to remove Jethro’s name from a remix of “Raise Em Up.” Jethro accused his cousin of leveraging his influence at Warner Music to threaten legal action, severing a previously close familial bond. Since then the cousins have lived apart, exchanging public barbs and occasional social-media jabs, keeping the discord alive in the press.
2014 remix row
The dispute resurfaced last month when Jethro, under the moniker Alonestar, claimed the original grievance had never been resolved, positioning a boxing match as the ultimate way to settle the score. He has framed the encounter as a grudge match that could finally put an end to a decade-long controversy that began with a simple remix removal request.
Promoter’s plan and timing
Speed Star Promotions, led by veteran fight-booker Abi McCabe aims to stage the encounter on Valentine’s Day hoping the romance-themed date will amplify viewership. The Copper Box Arena, celebrated for hosting the Olympic boxing events, offers an intimate yet iconic backdrop. McCabe argues that the narrative – two cousins turned rivals – provides the drama needed for a global audience. The timing also follows a recent controversy on Ed’s Loop USA tour, where supporting act Macklemore was removed after making pro-Palestinian statements, prompting several other openers to quit in solidarity. While Ed has denied involvement in that decision, the fallout has added fresh media attention to his name, potentially increasing the bout’s marketability.
As of now, Ed’s representatives have not issued an official response, and the singer’s camp remains tight-lipped about any training schedule. If he elects to step into the ring, the £1 million offer would more than double his recent earnings from streaming and touring, while also delivering a dramatic closure to a long-running feud. Declining the challenge could preserve his musical reputation but would leave a lucrative cash prize – and a highly publicized family saga – unresolved. Fans, promoters and casual observers alike are waiting to see whether the pop star will trade a guitar for gloves and settle the score once and for all.
