Share

Mayweather-McGregor fight second richest ever

Los Angeles - Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor's cross-combat superfight was the second richest boxing bout in history, long-awaited final figures revealed on Friday.

A statement from Showtime sports said the August fight between boxing star Mayweather and mixed martials arts king McGregor generated 4.3 million pay-per-view buys in North America.

Only one other fight - Mayweather's 2015 bout with Manny Pacquiao - has ever drawn more, racking up 4.6 million buys to earn around $600 million.

The Mayweather-McGregor pay-per-view total is almost double the third biggest fight of all time, Oscar De La Hoya's 2007 fight with Mayweather, which had 2.48 million buys.

Showtime said in a statement that global revenues, including ticket sales, sponsorship and international distribution, Mayweather and McGregor had exceeded $600 million.

"The pairing of Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor brought together two very significant and distinct global fan bases in one truly unprecedented event," Showtime Sports chief Stephen Espinoza told ESPN.

"The remarkable results are all the more impressive considering that the planning, marketing and execution took place across a span of just 72 days from the initial announcement to fight night."

The Mayweather-McGregor fight was widely dismissed as a circus before the bout, which was eventually won by Mayweather - returning from a two-year retirement - with a 10th round knockout.

Meanwhile Philippine boxing hero Pacquiao said last week he too was seeking his own showdown with McGregor, confirming he had opened talks with the Irishman to possibly fight in April.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1205 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
30% - 1405 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2131 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE