We’re just a few days before Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. steps inside the square circle against today’s most popular boxer, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. On Sept. 14 Mayweather will pocket a record $41.5 million for his junior middleweight title bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Win or lose Floyd Mayweather is guarantee $41.5 million plus a percentage of Pay-Per-Views. Mayweather’s payday is the largest since Evander Holyfield pocketed $33 million for his rematch with Mike Tyson in 1997. Earlier this year, Mayweather took home $32 million after easily defending his WBC welterweight title against Robert Guerrero. So if you’re keeping track, this will make for a staggering $73.5 million in salary this year for Mayweather — for just two fights!
Mayweather is the favorite, entering the bout with his odds to win set at minus-300, according to bet sites online. However, Alvarez’s plus-230 betting odds are much better than Mayweather’s recent opponents. In Mayweather’s last three fights, his odds to be victorious were always, at least, twice as good.
The notion that Mayweather-Canelo will be the biggest-grossing fight since De La Hoya-Mayweather in May 2007 will only be proven by the gate and PPV receipts once the dust has settled toward the end of September, but certainly in betting terms, this is, at least, set to be Mayweather’s most competitive.
At just 23 years old, Alvarez has also never lost a fight. He’s 42-0-1 in his career, while Mayweather is looking to improve his record to 45-0.
Alvarez will earn $12.5 million plus a piece of the pay per-view. The biggest question surrounding Alvarez’s chances to pull off the upset may be whether or not the fight is happening too soon.
What’s your prediction? Who will be the one taking the W on September 14?