Boxing's Top 10 Pound-For-Pound Moneymakers
Posted: 10 Jan 2017, 11:38
Since we released the last Forbes Boxing Pound-For-Pound Moneymakers list in November, Andre Ward controversially beat Sergey Kovalev, Anthony Joshua signed to fight Wladimir Klitschko, and Terence Crawford picked up another impressive victory.
1. Canelo Alvarez (previously No. 1): Though he convincingly won both of his bouts in 2016, knocking out Amir Khan and Liam Smith, Alvarez’s reputation and his PPV sales took a hit. But he’s still the biggest star in the sport, and if he fights Gennady Golovkin in September, it’d be worth tens of millions of dollars to the sport (and to his pocketbook).
2. Andre Ward (previously No. 3): Many observers think he got a gift decision when he was awarded a close victory vs. Sergey Kovalev – Forbes had it 114-113 for Kovalev – but Ward still made $5 million for the event and, assuming he faces Kovalev in a rematch, he’ll be in line for plenty of more money. But the PPV event only managed 160,000 buys, a big disappointment considering the quality of the matchup.
3. Gennady Golovkin (previously No. 2): Alvarez and his promoter, Golden Boy, have promised fans that they’ll grant Golovkin a fight this September, and it’s the biggest bout that can be made in the sport. It will make Golovkin a very rich man. Before then, he’ll have to get past Danny Jacobs, likely the toughest opponent of his career. Aside from beating Jacobs, one of Golovkin’s big goals has to be improving on sales from the only other time he’s headlined a PPV card: about 150,000 buyers for when he fought David Lemieux in October 2015.
4. Sergey Kovalev (previously No. 4): He doesn’t drop on this list despite his loss to Ward, because he was in such a competitive fight, because he made a guarantee of $2 million, and because the rematch could be even richer.
5. Manny Pacquiao (previously unranked): Boxing is always a better business when Pacquiao is involved, and he returned in November, beating Jessie Vargas and making a guarantee of $4 million. He reportedly demanded $20 million to fight Terence Crawford, but instead, he’ll probably fight the unknown Jeff Horn later this year, most likely on a non-PPV card.
6. Wladimir Klitschko-Anthony Joshua (previously No. 5 and unranked, respectively): Yeah, it’s cheating a little to put them both in the same spot, but with their April matchup determining the heavyweight champ, it feels right they should be tied together. A win by Joshua would set him on the path to global superstardom, but a victory by Klitschko would give the heavyweight division a 41-year-old champion whose best days are way behind him. That’s why a Klitschko victory probably wouldn’t be ideal for the health of the sport.
7. Keith Thurman (previously No. 6): He beat Shawn Porter last year on primetime CBS and got solid ratings (an average of 3.1 million with a peak of 3.94 million) while making a $1.4 million payday. In March, he’ll face Danny Garcia in what should be an intriguing matchup, and if it’s put back on network TV, the ratings should be strong once again.
8. Deontay Wilder (previously No. 7): After losing out on a $4.5 million payday when Alexander Povetkin failed a drug test before their scheduled bout last May, Wilder managed a $1.4 million purse in dominating Chris Arreola. But he suffered injuries that have kept him out since July. Now, he’s scheduled to fight Andrzej Wawrzyk in February in what should be another walkover opponent. Though it wasn’t fault the Povetkin fight was canceled, some boxing observers are grumbling and wondering when Wilder will fight the best the heavyweight division has to offer.
9. Terrence Crawford (previously No. 9): He dominated John Molina in December and won three fights in 2016, but he really could use a high-level opponent like Manny Pacquiao to make himself a star. The problem: Pacquiao apparently wants a $20 million guarantee to fight Crawford, and there’s just no way boxing economics can make that possible at this point.
10. Vasyl Lomachenko (previously unranked): In just his eighth pro fight, Lomachenko made a $1 million payday to fight tough-minded Nicholas Walters and then make him quit before the start of the eighth round. If Lomachenko keeps his career going like this, he’s going to make bushels of money during the next several years.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/joshkatzowi ... 858641617a
1. Canelo Alvarez (previously No. 1): Though he convincingly won both of his bouts in 2016, knocking out Amir Khan and Liam Smith, Alvarez’s reputation and his PPV sales took a hit. But he’s still the biggest star in the sport, and if he fights Gennady Golovkin in September, it’d be worth tens of millions of dollars to the sport (and to his pocketbook).
2. Andre Ward (previously No. 3): Many observers think he got a gift decision when he was awarded a close victory vs. Sergey Kovalev – Forbes had it 114-113 for Kovalev – but Ward still made $5 million for the event and, assuming he faces Kovalev in a rematch, he’ll be in line for plenty of more money. But the PPV event only managed 160,000 buys, a big disappointment considering the quality of the matchup.
3. Gennady Golovkin (previously No. 2): Alvarez and his promoter, Golden Boy, have promised fans that they’ll grant Golovkin a fight this September, and it’s the biggest bout that can be made in the sport. It will make Golovkin a very rich man. Before then, he’ll have to get past Danny Jacobs, likely the toughest opponent of his career. Aside from beating Jacobs, one of Golovkin’s big goals has to be improving on sales from the only other time he’s headlined a PPV card: about 150,000 buyers for when he fought David Lemieux in October 2015.
4. Sergey Kovalev (previously No. 4): He doesn’t drop on this list despite his loss to Ward, because he was in such a competitive fight, because he made a guarantee of $2 million, and because the rematch could be even richer.
5. Manny Pacquiao (previously unranked): Boxing is always a better business when Pacquiao is involved, and he returned in November, beating Jessie Vargas and making a guarantee of $4 million. He reportedly demanded $20 million to fight Terence Crawford, but instead, he’ll probably fight the unknown Jeff Horn later this year, most likely on a non-PPV card.
6. Wladimir Klitschko-Anthony Joshua (previously No. 5 and unranked, respectively): Yeah, it’s cheating a little to put them both in the same spot, but with their April matchup determining the heavyweight champ, it feels right they should be tied together. A win by Joshua would set him on the path to global superstardom, but a victory by Klitschko would give the heavyweight division a 41-year-old champion whose best days are way behind him. That’s why a Klitschko victory probably wouldn’t be ideal for the health of the sport.
7. Keith Thurman (previously No. 6): He beat Shawn Porter last year on primetime CBS and got solid ratings (an average of 3.1 million with a peak of 3.94 million) while making a $1.4 million payday. In March, he’ll face Danny Garcia in what should be an intriguing matchup, and if it’s put back on network TV, the ratings should be strong once again.
8. Deontay Wilder (previously No. 7): After losing out on a $4.5 million payday when Alexander Povetkin failed a drug test before their scheduled bout last May, Wilder managed a $1.4 million purse in dominating Chris Arreola. But he suffered injuries that have kept him out since July. Now, he’s scheduled to fight Andrzej Wawrzyk in February in what should be another walkover opponent. Though it wasn’t fault the Povetkin fight was canceled, some boxing observers are grumbling and wondering when Wilder will fight the best the heavyweight division has to offer.
9. Terrence Crawford (previously No. 9): He dominated John Molina in December and won three fights in 2016, but he really could use a high-level opponent like Manny Pacquiao to make himself a star. The problem: Pacquiao apparently wants a $20 million guarantee to fight Crawford, and there’s just no way boxing economics can make that possible at this point.
10. Vasyl Lomachenko (previously unranked): In just his eighth pro fight, Lomachenko made a $1 million payday to fight tough-minded Nicholas Walters and then make him quit before the start of the eighth round. If Lomachenko keeps his career going like this, he’s going to make bushels of money during the next several years.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/joshkatzowi ... 858641617a
