Pacquiao vs. Mayweather: Purse Payouts, Prize-Money Split for Vegas Showdown
The bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao under the bright lights of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas was meant to be about a lot more than just prize money.
But long before Floyd—who won in a unanimous points decision—had his hand raised at the end of 12 rounds of engrossing boxing, it became abundantly clear that the sums surrounding this fight were simply stratospheric.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the reported purse payouts following Mayweather’s clinical triumph over Manny and how the prize money was split after this phenomenal occasion.
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Manny and Floyd Sums Spiral to Astonishing Heights
While the exact amount earned by each fighter is officially unknown, the Associated Press (h/t Fox Sports) reports that the total purse to be split between these two icons is somewhere in the region of a staggering $280 million:
"New estimates show Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s payoff for fighting Manny Pacquiao could easily be $180 million, up substantially from earlier predictions of $120 million.
Pacquiao gets the short end of the purse, but even that is expected to be well over $100 million by the time everything is tallied up.
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The monetary sums involved are simply remarkable. Based on those aforementioned figures, Coral broke down exactly how much Mayweather would have earned per second of his 36 minutes in the ring with the Filipino:
While the bout was undeniably the most lucrative in the history of the sport, it certainly wasn’t the most entertaining. Mayweather was functional and efficient throughout the contest, fending off an onrushing Pacquiao throughout with sharp jabs and his thunderous lead right.
In the aftermath, Floyd claimed he was simply a cut above his opponent on the night, per audioBoom:
But there were plenty of supporters from across the boxing stratosphere who weren't left sated by the bout. Admittedly, Mayweather has never been the most aesthetic of fighters, but the presence of Pacquiao—typically a whirlwind of ferocity and industry—prompted hopes of a much more entertaining affair.
Indeed, Nikki Sixx of the band Motley Crue expected a lot more from Money, especially given how much he was set to earn off the back of this fight:
However, Mayweather did what was needed to win and in fairness to him, the uncharacteristically reserved tactics of the Filipino meant he didn’t really need to get out of first gear on his way to that lucrative prize pot. After all, with so much money on the line, why on earth would you even consider risking defeat if you were in Floyd’s shoes?
As noted here by Jason Sobel of ESPN, the monetary gains the American made from this occasion exceeded the career earnings of some of the finest sportsmen of this generation:
While the figures will be plain obscene for some, they indicate just how significant this sporting occasion was and just how classy these two fighters are. Admittedly, we didn’t quite get the classic encounter that was craved, but the glitz and glamour that has accompanied this showdown will certainly live long in the memory.
After such a substantial payday and the inevitable comedown after this fight, it’ll be intriguing to see what steps each man takes in the twilight of their respective careers. But with their bank accounts well replenished, they can each reflect contently, safe in the knowledge that this fight has dominated the sporting landscape.
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