What is the average salary of a boxer? All the details explained

What is the average salary of a boxer? All the details explained

Claudia Kogi
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:27 PM

It is without a doubt that boxing is such a lucrative sport at the top levels. So many athletes around the globe spend time training timelessly for years to try and earn those decorated paychecks. But come to think of it, high-profile boxers could be among the top earners globally, but only a few make it to significant events resulting in prominent figures. So, what is the average salary of a professional boxer?

Average salary of a pro boxer
Boxing ring at the Creed III & Hennessy gym pop-up in Los Angeles, CA on 2 March 2023 in West Hollywood, California. Photo: Rodin Eckenroth (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Boxing is among the most televised sports in the world, with stellar main cards hogging the spotlight at the biggest stages in Las Vegas, New York, and many other incredible places. And, of course, with athletes like Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Francis Ngannou, and Canelo Alvarez, which boxing fan would not be glued to the screen?

How much does an average boxer make per fight?

Unlike other professions where people have basic annual, monthly, or weekly salaries depending on the number, kind, or type of tasks they are given, it gets a little bit different in boxing. Whereby beside from an agreed amount of money they get paid, each fighter also makes some ransom from any fight given fight on the ring.

Therefore, each boxer has a different figure he gets and makes in any fight he engages in. Well, assuming all the wealthy ones, how much does an average boxer make? Approximately an average-level pro boxer earns around $8000 per fight.

Average salary of a professional boxer
Caleb Plant and Anthony Dirrell fall to the ring apron during their WBC world super middleweight title eliminator bout at Barclays Center on 15 October 2022 in Brooklyn, New York. Photo: Al Bello
Source: Getty Images

Evidently, you will realise that such boxers are still trying to work their way up those ranks in the pro scene. Consequently, they will fight more often than those top-level athletes, potentially eight fights per year.

When that amount is calculated, it is notable that an average athlete in this discipline earns approximately $64,000 annually. Although that seems reasonable, several factors, like expenses attributed to the boxer's life, are often overlooked.

Other boxers get extremely lucky when they land other opportunities like brand endorsing for famous companies like Nike, Addidas, Pepsi, fashion magazines, and so on.

What is the average salary of a professional boxer?

Those at the higher level can make millions, even from a single fight. Needless to say, all these athletes are paid depending on various factors such as experience, popularity, agility, skill, and so on.

However, that said, it does not insinuate that the average boxer is not skilled, famous, or even experienced, but rather some of them are always new to the ring and still need more training to get to the pro levels.

How much does an average boxer make?
Anthony Joshua gets Oleksandr Usyk during the Rage on the Red Sea heavy weight title fight at King Abdullah Sports City Arena on 20 August 2022 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Photo: Khalid Alhaj
Source: Getty Images

Below is a list displaying the earnings of some of the renowned pro boxers in the arena. Keep scrolling to find out more.

1. Floyd Mayweather

Even though he is retired, Floyd is still regarded as one of the greatest and wealthiest boxers in the world. Allegedly, the renowned athlete makes very little from sponsorship and endorsement deals as he prefers to let his fighting do the talking.

During his peak years in the boxing arena, he would bag up to around $100 million any time he stepped on the octagon or ring. Clearly, these numbers are different from those of an average-level boxer.

2. Anthony Joshua

Another yet guru in the ring is Anthony Joshua, renowned for being one of the most prominent British boxing athletes of all time. Well, Joshua cannot compete with the likes of Mayweather in terms of monetary bragging rights. However, he still earned a reasonable $70 million per year at his peak, which is a good figure.

3. Canelo Alvarez

Another name to be remembered on the list is Canelo Alvarez, who has also engaged in some utterly lucrative fights during his career and reportedly made around $37 million just in 2020.

How much does an average boxer make per fight?
Canelo Alvarez punches Billy Joe during their fight for Alvarez's WBC and WBA super middleweight titles and Saunders' WBO super middleweight title on 8 May 2021 in Arlington, Texas. Photo: Al Bello
Source: Getty Images

4. Deontay Wilder

During the renowned and epic encounter between Wilder and Fury, it said that the two fighters walked away with millions of dollars in their bank accounts after that fight. Narrowing it down, it is claimed that Deontay Wilder earned around $12 million for the third fight against Fury and earned as much as $15 million that year.

How much do Olympic boxers get paid?

For starters, the International Olympic Committee is never responsible for paying any athlete a cash prize, even for winning medals of any kind. Therefore, there are vast differences between how much Olympic boxers from poor and wealthy countries are paid.

For instance, one former British Olympic boxer, Tony Jeffries, admitted to earning very little money until he qualified for the games. During that time, he was paid approximately $2700 per month.

How much did Tommy Fury make in the fight against Jake Paul?

Average salary of a boxer
Tommy Fury punches Jake Paul during the Cruiserweight Title fight at the Diriyah Arena on 26 February 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo: Francois Nel
Source: Getty Images

The 23-year-old reality television personality and professional boxer, Tommy Fury, may end up eclipsing his partner Molly Mae Hague who is said to earn approximately $2.5 million per year in the top of the possibility of securing a $25,000 fee for any Instagram post he uploads.

On the other hand, Tommy has made at least $4.5 million from his recent win over Jake Paul in Riyadh. In fact, it is said that he could take home at least $12 million more by the end of 2025.

You may have thought boxing was not worth the money, but from what an average salary of a boxer looks like, you should be reconsidering it now. Besides, who would not appreciate some more deposits in their bank accounts?

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Authors
Claudia Kogi photo
Claudia Kogi
Claudia Kogi is a Kenyan content creator with over 3 years of experience. Claudia joined Sportsbrief.com as a writer in January 2022, covering sports and relatable content.
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Anthony JoshuaDeontay WilderFloyd MayweatherWorld