LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 11: Canelo Álvarez (L) and Terence Crawford (R) face off as Dana White (C) looks on during Netflix’s Canelo vs Crawford press conference at T-Mobile Arena on September 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for Netflix)
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Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford are going to be paid handsomely for their part in the highly anticipated superfight on Saturday night.
The two future Hall-of-Famers will meet in a battle for Alvarez’s undisputed super middleweight title in the main event of a card set to stream for free to all Netflix subscribers.
I’m imagining typing that last line 15 years ago and many fight fans would have told me I was out of my mind. Well, it’s 2025 and that’s the world of combat sports today.
Canelo Alvarez’s Massive Payday
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 12: Canelo Alvarez reacts on stage during the Canelo v Crawford ceremonial weigh-in at T-Mobile Arena on September 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/TKO Worldwide LLC via Getty Images)
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Saturday will bring another massive payday for Alvarez. When the bout was first announced in May, reports placed his earnings in the $100–150 million range.
UFC CEO Dana White, who has been a central figure in TKO’s promotional push for the fight, seemed to back that up during fight week, telling Vegas PBS that Alvarez was “probably” set to make at least $100 million.
The exact figures may never be officially disclosed, since Nevada no longer requires commissions to publish fighter payouts, following a trend seen in many other states.
Crawford’s side of the deal tells a different story. During a recent podcast appearance, the undefeated champion said he accepted the fight for just $10 million.
Where Canelo vs. Crawford Ranks in Payday History
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 22: (L-R) Canelo Álvarez, Dana White and Terence Crawford attend the Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford Press Conference during Fanatics Fest at Javits Center on June 22, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images for Netflix)
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According to most records and a recent list on Bloody Elbow, Alvarez’s expected payout will rank as the fifth largest in boxing history.
What makes it even more significant is that it becomes the richest fight ever that doesn’t involve Floyd Mayweather Jr. Mayweather still owns the top two spots with his blockbuster wins over Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor.
Pacquiao and McGregor occupy the third and fourth positions on the list, with Alvarez’s reported earnings sitting just behind them.
US boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. gestures during a press conference for his upcoming exhibition fight against John Gutti III (unseen) in Mexico City on August 21, 2024. Mayweather Jr. and Gotti III will face each other in Mexico on August 24, 2024. (Photo by Yuri CORTEZ / AFP) (Photo by YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
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For comparison, Alvarez reportedly earned around $40 million guaranteed plus upside when he faced Caleb Plant in 2021 and upwards of $50 million for his trilogy fight with Gennadiy Golovkin in 2022.
Crawford, meanwhile, was believed to have made $6 million guaranteed for his win over Errol Spence Jr. in 2023, which was his biggest disclosed purse before this fight. The leap to $10 million against Alvarez underscores both the disparity and the unique opportunity at hand.
Reactions to the Canelo-Crawford Split Purses
The split in earnings has been a major talking point all week. Crawford’s reported $10 million purse is a fraction of what Alvarez is expected to make, and many observers believe it underscores that his motivation isn’t financial.
According to Boxing on X noted that Crawford isn’t simply chasing a paycheck, but chasing legacy — the chance to topple one of the sport’s biggest names.
On the other side, Forbes’ Kurt Badenhausen highlighted the magnitude of Alvarez’s haul, pointing out that this career-high payday will push his total career earnings to an astounding $800 million.
That puts him in rare company not just among boxers, but across all sports.
Always Consider This When it Comes to Payout Reports
One thing to consider is: estimated purses and payouts–especially at this juncture are almost always ballpark figures. They never tell the whole story and truth be told, we may never know the full details.
It’s always estimated.
What seems clear is Canelo is making sizably more as the unquestioned A-side of the matchup and Crawford is willing to take less–though still a life-changing amount–to take a shot at greatness. It’s a formula for an entertaining night of boxing.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianmazique/2025/09/12/the-estimated-purses-for-canelo-alvarez-vs-terence-crawford-fight-are-staggering/
