Mayweather vs. Canelo Prize Money: Breaking Down Fight Purse and Fighter Payouts

When Floyd "Money" Mayweather (44-0, 26 KOs) steps in the ring against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KOs) on Saturday, Sept. 14, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, astronomical amounts of prize money will be on the line in the marquee bout.

Both Mayweather and Alvarez are due to make career highs in cash earnings for Saturday night’s showdown, but just how much these men will be paid is stunning.

With the much-anticipated battle fast approaching, the official numbers surrounding the event have been one of the hottest storylines.

There will be major pay-per-view records at risk of falling and millions of dollars hanging in the balance, and fans won’t want to miss a second of the action.

Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas

When: Sept. 14, 2013

TV: Showtime PPV

Live Stream: Sho.com

What Mayweather Will Make

Mayweather isn’t just one of the greatest boxers of all time; he’s also one of the greatest self-promoters in boxing history. When Money enters the ring on Saturday, he will be setting the all-time record for this megafight’s purse.

According to ESPN’s Dan Rafael, Mayweather submitted his contract to the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Wednesday. He'll make a whopping $41.5 million.

After setting the record and equaling it with his bouts against Miguel Cotto and Robert Guerrero, respectively ($32 million), Money has once again set the record for the biggest purse in boxing history.

The huge expectations for the PPV sales had promoters clamoring to get a deal signed, and Mayweather’s team is one of the best in sports at maximizing deals. With Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions claiming that the superfight with Canelo could draw 2.6 million PPV buys, per Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes, this has the potential to be the highest-grossing boxing event in history.

At an average of $70 per view, per Badenhausen, there is a good chance that this event will set the all-time money record (Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya holds the previous mark) even if this fight doesn’t amass the most views.

What Canelo Will Make

There is no comparing the money that Mayweather will draw to what Alvarez will make, but it’s still a respectable purse for the 23-year-old rising star. Rafael’s report has Canelo making $5 million on fight night.

While this may look like a slap in the face to Alvarez on paper, Schaefer told ESPN that the challenger will actually be making closer to $12 million. With a percentage of the PPV buys as well, Canelo will be making a huge sum.

Stepping in the ring with a legend like Mayweather is a great opportunity for a fighter like Canelo, but the financial implications from signing on for a bout of this magnitude are so enormous that they can’t be ignored.

Alvarez must not become distracted by making this purse. If he puts the payment out of his mind, fights the best bout of his career and takes down Mayweather, he could be making so much more money from now on throughout his career.

What the Undercard Will Make

While Mayweather and Alvarez will be making big money from the event, the love has been spread around the whole card as well.

The anticipated co-main event between light welterweight champ Danny Garcia and Lucas Matthysse is a great way to set the stage for the amazing main event, and the fighters are being rewarded. As the defending champion, Garcia will make a career-high $1.5 million, and interim titleholder Matthysse will earn a career-high $800,000, per Rafael:

As if there wasn’t enough money going around, the opening bout of the PPV card will be a mandatory title defense for light middleweight Ishe Smith against Carlos Molina. Smith will make $250,000, and Molina will make $100,000.

With purses like these, it looks like the sport of boxing is booming again.

Follow @Donald_Wood