BoxRec

Did you know $1,000 in 1913 is the equivalent of $25,000+ in 2018? I found it extremely interesting because I was watching some Jim Cornette videos on the kind of money wrestlers made "back in the day" versus now, and then I thought about how John L. Sullivan amassed $1,000,000+ from the start of his boxing career til his death in 1918.

That million dollars (1918) equates to $16,526,754.97 in today's money. Absolutely incredible. So, I thought it'd be interesting to judge just how much money fighters made and compare it to today. I know Muhammad Ali made, in total, $69+ million dollars by his retirement in 1981 just from fights alone. In 1985 a single dollar is equal to $2.32 today, so that $69 million is double that.

http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

http://www.in2013dollars.com/1860-dolla ... 7?amount=1

The first site gives inflation rates back until 1913, the second site goes back to 1860. It's incredible that $1 in 1860 is equal to $28.65 in 2018. So when we hear stories of champions fighting for $20,000 a side (for example) in the bareknuckle days, what we're really looking at is something in the vicinity of $1,000,000 for the winner. Now, maybe, we can understand WHY these men risked severe jail time, lmao, when the sport was illegal.

Rocky Marciano made $1.7 million dollars in total throughout his career, according to Google. This equates to $15.5 million dollars today. When he fought Archie Moore, he received over $400,000 for that match. That equates to roughly $3.5 million dollars.

Considering a hypothetical Ward vs Joshua match today would probably generate $25 million conservatively for both men to split, it's understandable in retrospect why "The Rock" was stingy with his money, especially when you consider a professional wrestler like Lou Thesz in the 1950s was making $100,000 per year ($917k in today's money) and that's not considering Thesz going overseas and getting boocoos of money in Japan and Europe, just strictly American payouts by the NWA.

He was getting railroaded in payoffs, and getting ripped off big-time by his manager Al Weil. The "would be" fight with Ingemar Johansson for $2 million plus dollars would have equated to more than half of his entire career earnings. No wonder he pursued it tremendously.

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑19 Apr 2018, 01:36 Rocky Marciano made $1.7 million dollars in total throughout his career, according to Google. This equates to $15.5 million dollars today. When he fought Archie Moore, he received over $400,000 for that match. That equates to roughly $3.5 million dollars.

Considering a hypothetical Ward vs Joshua match today would probably generate $25 million conservatively for both men to split, it's understandable in retrospect why "The Rock" was stingy with his money, especially when you consider a professional wrestler like Lou Thesz in the 1950s was making $100,000 per year ($917k in today's money) and that's not considering Thesz going overseas and getting boocoos of money in Japan and Europe, just strictly American payouts by the NWA.

He was getting railroaded in payoffs, and getting ripped off big-time by his manager Al Weil. The "would be" fight with Ingemar Johansson for $2 million plus dollars would have equated to more than half of his entire career earnings. No wonder he pursued it tremendously.

Marciano didn't pursue Johansson and said so... He said he'd only been retired for 3 years and tried to get himself in condition, "But I just couldn't" start video at 4:20 and listen to 5:10.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL1Z9KmYJIg

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑19 Apr 2018, 01:17 Did you know $1,000 in 1913 is the equivalent of $25,000+ in 2018? I found it extremely interesting because I was watching some Jim Cornette videos on the kind of money wrestlers made "back in the day" versus now, and then I thought about how John L. Sullivan amassed $1,000,000+ from the start of his boxing career til his death in 1918.

That million dollars (1918) equates to $16,526,754.97 in today's money. Absolutely incredible. So, I thought it'd be interesting to judge just how much money fighters made and compare it to today. I know Muhammad Ali made, in total, $69+ million dollars by his retirement in 1981 just from fights alone. In 1985 a single dollar is equal to $2.32 today, so that $69 million is double that.

http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

http://www.in2013dollars.com/1860-dolla ... 7?amount=1

The first site gives inflation rates back until 1913, the second site goes back to 1860. It's incredible that $1 in 1860 is equal to $28.65 in 2018. So when we hear stories of champions fighting for $20,000 a side (for example) in the bareknuckle days, what we're really looking at is something in the vicinity of $1,000,000 for the winner. Now, maybe, we can understand WHY these men risked severe jail time, lmao, when the sport was illegal.

Obviously that was no fortune... And I don't even believe guys were fighting for 20,000 a side or making that much.. Today your paycheck is guaranteed.. You don't have to win the fight.. However if you want to make money for your next fight, you better win... Bare knuckle fights lacked the massive arenas and worldwide revenue sources of today's fights... You had spectators standing around at ground level... The ring was a half assed arrangement with shitty looking ring posts and ropes... Fights were slow paced and boring.. Not much was happening.

Bare Knuckle Boxing wasn't a developed sport like Queensberry Rules Boxing became... Boxing is an Olympic Sport that spread to 140 countries... Jets fly boxers all over the world to compete... Boxing has a massive number of problems - but fan interest... spectator interest... and the number of aspiring boxers worldwide aren't 3 of them.

Kalan wrote: ↑19 Apr 2018, 02:16

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑19 Apr 2018, 01:36 Rocky Marciano made $1.7 million dollars in total throughout his career, according to Google. This equates to $15.5 million dollars today. When he fought Archie Moore, he received over $400,000 for that match. That equates to roughly $3.5 million dollars.

Considering a hypothetical Ward vs Joshua match today would probably generate $25 million conservatively for both men to split, it's understandable in retrospect why "The Rock" was stingy with his money, especially when you consider a professional wrestler like Lou Thesz in the 1950s was making $100,000 per year ($917k in today's money) and that's not considering Thesz going overseas and getting boocoos of money in Japan and Europe, just strictly American payouts by the NWA.

He was getting railroaded in payoffs, and getting ripped off big-time by his manager Al Weil. The "would be" fight with Ingemar Johansson for $2 million plus dollars would have equated to more than half of his entire career earnings. No wonder he pursued it tremendously.

Marciano didn't pursue Johansson and said so... He said he'd only been retired for 3 years and tried to get himself in condition, "But I just couldn't" start video at 4:20 and listen to 5:10.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL1Z9KmYJIg

Then Lou Duva and several others are liars, as well as Bert Sugar. The contract for the fight deal did indeed exist. Marciano only said that because Patterson beat Johansson, and because D'Amato blocked the contest. There was absolutely no real huge money in a Patterson fight, only for Ingo.

Kalan wrote: ↑19 Apr 2018, 02:44

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑19 Apr 2018, 01:17 Did you know $1,000 in 1913 is the equivalent of $25,000+ in 2018? I found it extremely interesting because I was watching some Jim Cornette videos on the kind of money wrestlers made "back in the day" versus now, and then I thought about how John L. Sullivan amassed $1,000,000+ from the start of his boxing career til his death in 1918.

That million dollars (1918) equates to $16,526,754.97 in today's money. Absolutely incredible. So, I thought it'd be interesting to judge just how much money fighters made and compare it to today. I know Muhammad Ali made, in total, $69+ million dollars by his retirement in 1981 just from fights alone. In 1985 a single dollar is equal to $2.32 today, so that $69 million is double that.

http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

http://www.in2013dollars.com/1860-dolla ... 7?amount=1

The first site gives inflation rates back until 1913, the second site goes back to 1860. It's incredible that $1 in 1860 is equal to $28.65 in 2018. So when we hear stories of champions fighting for $20,000 a side (for example) in the bareknuckle days, what we're really looking at is something in the vicinity of $1,000,000 for the winner. Now, maybe, we can understand WHY these men risked severe jail time, lmao, when the sport was illegal.

Obviously that was no fortune... And I don't even believe guys were fighting for 20,000 a side or making that much.. Today your paycheck is guaranteed.. You don't have to win the fight.. However if you want to make money for your next fight, you better win... Bare knuckle fights lacked the massive arenas and worldwide revenue sources of today's fights... You had spectators standing around at ground level... The ring was a half assed arrangement with shitty looking ring posts and ropes... Fights were slow paced and boring.. Not much was happening.

Bare Knuckle Boxing wasn't a developed sport like Queensberry Rules Boxing became... Boxing is an Olympic Sport that spread to 140 countries... Jets fly boxers all over the world to compete... Boxing has a massive number of problems - but fan interest... spectator interest... and the number of aspiring boxers worldwide aren't 3 of them.

Read up on the National Police Gazette, about the amount of money attached for these fights in those days. Money was NOT with gate reciepts then. Money came about because of investors and backers. Especially in the 19th century in England where backers for prizefighters were often Dukes, Earl's, Viscounts, etc.

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑19 Apr 2018, 22:10

Kalan wrote: ↑19 Apr 2018, 02:44

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑19 Apr 2018, 01:17 Did you know $1,000 in 1913 is the equivalent of $25,000+ in 2018? I found it extremely interesting because I was watching some Jim Cornette videos on the kind of money wrestlers made "back in the day" versus now, and then I thought about how John L. Sullivan amassed $1,000,000+ from the start of his boxing career til his death in 1918.

That million dollars (1918) equates to $16,526,754.97 in today's money. Absolutely incredible. So, I thought it'd be interesting to judge just how much money fighters made and compare it to today. I know Muhammad Ali made, in total, $69+ million dollars by his retirement in 1981 just from fights alone. In 1985 a single dollar is equal to $2.32 today, so that $69 million is double that.

http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

http://www.in2013dollars.com/1860-dolla ... 7?amount=1

The first site gives inflation rates back until 1913, the second site goes back to 1860. It's incredible that $1 in 1860 is equal to $28.65 in 2018. So when we hear stories of champions fighting for $20,000 a side (for example) in the bareknuckle days, what we're really looking at is something in the vicinity of $1,000,000 for the winner. Now, maybe, we can understand WHY these men risked severe jail time, lmao, when the sport was illegal.

Obviously that was no fortune... And I don't even believe guys were fighting for 20,000 a side or making that much.. Today your paycheck is guaranteed.. You don't have to win the fight.. However if you want to make money for your next fight, you better win... Bare knuckle fights lacked the massive arenas and worldwide revenue sources of today's fights... You had spectators standing around at ground level... The ring was a half assed arrangement with shitty looking ring posts and ropes... Fights were slow paced and boring.. Not much was happening.

Bare Knuckle Boxing wasn't a developed sport like Queensberry Rules Boxing became... Boxing is an Olympic Sport that spread to 140 countries... Jets fly boxers all over the world to compete... Boxing has a massive number of problems - but fan interest... spectator interest... and the number of aspiring boxers worldwide aren't 3 of them.

Read up on the National Police Gazette, about the amount of money attached for these fights in those days. Money was NOT with gate reciepts then. Money came about because of investors and backers. Especially in the 19th century in England where backers for prizefighters were often Dukes, Earl's, Viscounts, etc.

Anybody who "invests" is looking for a return on their money... In the end money only comes from people who pay to see the fight... Everything else is money going back and forth among bettors... That's why the Dempsey-Tunney fights did so well.. They were in massive stadiums that could hold over 100,000 people... Tex knew what he was doing.

Rickard was a genius, yes, but.... I don't think you understand just how far money went at different times... That's why, when you look at the records of bareknuckle men of the 19th century and prior, they often retired after 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or so matches and opened up clubs/bars, etc.... They made forunes comparable to the modern champions of the 21st century, especially when you consider a loaf of bread was less than a nickel, etc.

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑20 Apr 2018, 17:43 Rickard was a genius, yes, but.... I don't think you understand just how far money went at different times... That's why, when you look at the records of bareknuckle men of the 19th century and prior, they often retired after 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or so matches and opened up clubs/bars, etc.... They made forunes comparable to the modern champions of the 21st century, especially when you consider a loaf of bread was less than a nickel, etc.

It's easier to get if you apply cost inflation on some common goods from both eras. That is the value money. What it gets you, not what it's worth. Just saying.

Well, let's look at it this way... 1956...

A brand new car was c. $3,000

A brand new house was c. $20,000

Price of gasoline per gallon? $00.23¢

Price of a loaf of bread? $00.18¢

Price of a 6-pack of beer? $1.20

Average Income was c. $4,000


How much did Rocky Marciano in 1955 make, just from fights alone (purses)? Between Moore and Cockell he acquired $482,374 from Moore and received 40% of the gate reciepts against Cockell.... So let's say that he was in the 700,000-800,000 range. That's NOT including other money he made via appearances, merchandise, etc.

Now.... In 1956.... $100 is equal to $899.95 today.... So could you imagine.... What, precisely, a $20,000-40,000 payday in the 1800s would have amounted to with prices being all the more inexpensive?

In 1889, for example, $100 would be equal to $2,540.88 today... IF A HOME in 1889 was worth $10,000 it'd be worth THIRTY-FIVE TIMES MORE in today's money... The average WEEKLY WAGE for a standard laborer in 1890 working 60 hours a week? $9.06!

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑20 Apr 2018, 20:09 Well, let's look at it this way... 1956...

A brand new car was c. $3,000

A brand new house was c. $20,000

Price of gasoline per gallon? $00.23¢

Price of a loaf of bread? $00.18¢

Price of a 6-pack of beer? $1.20

Average Income was c. $4,000


How much did Rocky Marciano in 1955 make, just from fights alone (purses)? Between Moore and Cockell he acquired $482,374 from Moore and received 40% of the gate reciepts against Cockell.... So let's say that he was in the 700,000-800,000 range. That's NOT including other money he made via appearances, merchandise, etc.

Now.... In 1956.... $100 is equal to $899.95 today.... So could you imagine.... What, precisely, a $20,000-40,000 payday in the 1800s would have amounted to with prices being all the more inexpensive?

In 1889, for example, $100 would be equal to $2,540.88 today... IF A HOME in 1889 was worth $10,000 it'd be worth THIRTY-FIVE TIMES MORE in today's money... The average WEEKLY WAGE for a standard laborer in 1890 working 60 hours a week? $9.06!

That fixes the comparison of purse v. purse in considering inflation. It also shows how screwed we all are!!!!! LMAO! (and crying at the same time).

A home in 1890 would probably be way under 10k. My folks bought a house in 1963 for 29k that's worth 500k today. So really imagine!

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑20 Apr 2018, 17:43 Rickard was a genius, yes, but.... I don't think you understand just how far money went at different times... That's why, when you look at the records of bareknuckle men of the 19th century and prior, they often retired after 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or so matches and opened up clubs/bars, etc.... They made forunes comparable to the modern champions of the 21st century, especially when you consider a loaf of bread was less than a nickel, etc.

Money was worth a lot more when I was a kid... Bread was a quarter... Soda pop was a nickel... a Baby Ruth, Snickers, or Mars Bar was a nickel... the gum machine was a penny... You got your Dubble Bubble and you got a comic cartoon that was wrapped around it... When I was 9 years old I had a paper route... I'd go out at 5:30AM (we never locked the doors). I'd get on my bike get my papers and deliver them... The bakery opened at 6:30 when I got done.. I'd buy day old Bismarks, Doughnuts, Cinnamon rolls etc for 75% off... I bought my bike for 10 dollars from an ad in the paper.

We always had money... My best friend's dad was a bartender who worked in a beer joint... His mother was a housewife... They lived very comfortably in a 3-story house just like we had... We had a huge backyard with 3 apple trees and 3 more fruit trees and we had a 4-car garage.. But the garage was generally empty because my parents usually parked their cars on the street.. There was two stalls for the renters upstairs but they parked on the street as well cuz it was just faster.

Nobody chained up their bike. I never heard of anyone stealing a bike. Life was damned simple. On Saturday mornings I'd watch The Lone Ranger... Sky King... Texas Rangers... Rod Brown and the Rocket Rangers.. Space Cadet.. no cell phones.. we had manual transmissions.. phone booths.. bike stands everywhere.. parks everywhere.. 2 rivers to fish in within 2 miles each way... duck hunting, squirrel hunting, pheasant hunting, deer hunting.. People read the paper and the comics strips.. Eisenhower was prez.. The Korean War went into "Armistice" People got sick of it and demanded an end to it.

It's insane the change in prices within my own lifetime... I remember when gasoline as maybe $1.25 a gallon... I've seen gasoline be as high as $5.50

I remember in highschool a pack of USA GOLDS was like $2.50.... now they're like $5 plus tax...

Ever since our country got off the gold standard and did all these trade deals with China, etc the cost of living has absolutely skyrocketed rather than improved our lives as promised.

Jem Mace, when he fought Tom Allen in Louisiana in 1870, received $15,000 for his troubles... That equates to the sum of about $270,000 in 2018...

To put it into context, Mace by that time was a professional for 20 years, and from 1869-1870 he was also on a profitable exhibition tour with Joe Coburn and John C. Heenan which netted him quite the profit.

In 1860.... The weekly wage for a laborer working 60 hours a week was $5.88 to put it all into perspective... So, receiving $15,000 for one fight NOT INCLUDING BETS WAGED ON THE CONTEST THAT YOU ALSO GOT, made you a very wealthy man.... Especially when you consider that the wage of the sitting President of the United States at that time made $25,000 for the entire year!

Note: The actual purse was $10,000 however, the two men posted $2,500 a side which was also won by the winner of the contest, equaling $15,000.

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑19 Apr 2018, 01:17 Did you know $1,000 in 1913 is the equivalent of $25,000+ in 2018? I found it extremely interesting because I was watching some Jim Cornette videos on the kind of money wrestlers made "back in the day" versus now, and then I thought about how John L. Sullivan amassed $1,000,000+ from the start of his boxing career til his death in 1918.

That million dollars (1918) equates to $16,526,754.97 in today's money. Absolutely incredible. So, I thought it'd be interesting to judge just how much money fighters made and compare it to today. I know Muhammad Ali made, in total, $69+ million dollars by his retirement in 1981 just from fights alone. In 1985 a single dollar is equal to $2.32 today, so that $69 million is double that.

http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

http://www.in2013dollars.com/1860-dolla ... 7?amount=1

The first site gives inflation rates back until 1913, the second site goes back to 1860. It's incredible that $1 in 1860 is equal to $28.65 in 2018. So when we hear stories of champions fighting for $20,000 a side (for example) in the bareknuckle days, what we're really looking at is something in the vicinity of $1,000,000 for the winner. Now, maybe, we can understand WHY these men risked severe jail time, lmao, when the sport was illegal.

I love when Cornette goes on those rants. I listen to his show all the time.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑20 Apr 2018, 23:59

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑19 Apr 2018, 01:17 Did you know $1,000 in 1913 is the equivalent of $25,000+ in 2018? I found it extremely interesting because I was watching some Jim Cornette videos on the kind of money wrestlers made "back in the day" versus now, and then I thought about how John L. Sullivan amassed $1,000,000+ from the start of his boxing career til his death in 1918.

That million dollars (1918) equates to $16,526,754.97 in today's money. Absolutely incredible. So, I thought it'd be interesting to judge just how much money fighters made and compare it to today. I know Muhammad Ali made, in total, $69+ million dollars by his retirement in 1981 just from fights alone. In 1985 a single dollar is equal to $2.32 today, so that $69 million is double that.

http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

http://www.in2013dollars.com/1860-dolla ... 7?amount=1

The first site gives inflation rates back until 1913, the second site goes back to 1860. It's incredible that $1 in 1860 is equal to $28.65 in 2018. So when we hear stories of champions fighting for $20,000 a side (for example) in the bareknuckle days, what we're really looking at is something in the vicinity of $1,000,000 for the winner. Now, maybe, we can understand WHY these men risked severe jail time, lmao, when the sport was illegal.

I love when Cornette goes on those rants. I listen to his show all the time.

finally a fellow Wrestling fan

gilgamesh wrote: ↑20 Apr 2018, 23:59I love when Cornette goes on those rants. I listen to his show all the time.

Same here

Did this just turn into a Cult of Cornette thread?

I believe it did

Granted in 2018, even poor Americans live a more luxurious life than Louis the 16th did in the 18th century.... We have more food choices, creature comforts, etc than one of the most powerful monarchs in history... However, on the flip side, less than 6% of Great Britain had an annual (yearly) income of £100 or more... So when you put things into perspective, money was a helluva lot more in worth than it is today, no matter what circumstances and parameters you wish to use.

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑20 Apr 2018, 21:55 It's insane the change in prices within my own lifetime... I remember when gasoline as maybe $1.25 a gallon... I've seen gasoline be as high as $5.50

I remember in highschool a pack of USA GOLDS was like $2.50.... now they're like $5 plus tax...

Ever since our country got off the gold standard and did all these trade deals with China, etc the cost of living has absolutely skyrocketed rather than improved our lives as promised.

You're young... When I was in high school gas was tween 20 and 29 cents a gallon... Everybody got their drivers license at 15. You could buy an old junker car for 10 dollars sometimes... A big hobby for kids was working on the engines of junky cars to get them to run better... There were perpetual arguments as to whether the Ford or Chevy was a better car.

Here's an interesting fact.

Jack Broughton, famed for the first set of rules in boxing and reigned nearly two decades as champion of England, in his last contest with Jack Slack in 1750 the winner was to receive £600 which is the equivalent of $175,000 today. It was a comeback fight for Broughton, as he had not fought since 1747. Incredible.

Mike McCoole, the first Heavyweight Champion from my home state of Ohio, when he fought Aaron Jones for the vacant title in 1867 made $2,000. That is the equivalent of $32,000+ in 2018. Not too bad considering most people at the time considered Tom Allen to be the "true champion" after Joe Coburn.

Boxers worldwide are making more money today.... During the 40's and 50's---with mafia control of the fight game---purses were greatly suppressed compared to the 1920's.. and 30's and from the 60's on.

Not when you account for "the cost of living" in earlier eras. It's either equal or surpasses the wages for today's fighters.

Besides, that's why men like John D. Rockefeller and Howard Hughes are generally considered to still be the richest men in history. When you adjust for inflation, they both are multi-trillionaires each.

Also.... It's a bit like that scene in the second Austin Powers movie where Dr Evil asks for "one hundred billion dollars" otherwise he'll blow up the world... And the President of the United States in the 1960s laughs hysterically in his face saying, "That kind of money doesn't even exist, you may as well have asked for a hundred kazillion dollars!"

Everything into context... The word "millionaire" wouldn't come around until the 18th century, first used by Lord Byron... The word "billionaire" wouldn't come around until 1916 when the previously mentioned Rockefeller became the first to achieve that status.

Ideas of what is "rich" and "filthy rich" vary from person to person. The average income today is roughly $58,000 per year in the United States in 2018. Compare that yearly income to prior eras, as well as to the yearly income of "millionaires" and "billionaires", and you'll see the startling difference.

Being an individual in the bareknuckle era, making anywhere from $5,000-$20,000 a fight two or three times a year, made you not only richer than the President of the United States it also made you among the 1% of the nation.