Arlington, Texas — The Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight at AT&T Stadium on Friday night was a highly anticipated event that, hmm, did not exactly live up to expectations.
The battle was not officially free to watch, but anyone with a Netflix subscription could see it. Not bad, given that a Netflix subscription is significantly less expensive than high-profile boxing pay-per-views have previously been. (However, individuals did complain about buffering troubles during the livestream.)
It was unclear how much Tyson and Paul earned for the bout.
Neither side, nor Netflix, has publicly announced how much the fighters are paid. However, a hint here and there, some analysis from boxing experts, and a glance at previous payments for important fights can give us a general sense.
According to reports, Paul was paid $40 million only to enter the ring, while Tyson was slated to receive $20 million. Paul referenced the $40 million in a prior press conference, and he volunteered to stake his purse at the pre-fight press conference this week.
“I’m here to make $40 million and knock out a legend,” Paul declared during a press conference in August.
According to USA Today, boxing industry insiders estimate Tyson’s earnings to be $20 million, though Tyson did not confirm that figure during an interview with Jimmy Kimmel earlier this year.
We’ve seen big boxing payouts before, most notably in 2017, when UFC star Conor McGregor faced boxing legend Floyd Mayweather. According to the Telegraph, McGregor received $30 million for the fight, while Mayweather made $100 million.
Granted, both of those boxers were active pros and in their prime.
The Tyson vs. Paul bout was a very different circumstance, yet it was nevertheless extremely profitable for everyone involved.