Floyd Mayweather Jr. has yet to agree to his side of the deal to fight Conor McGregor, but it’s almost impossible to imagine him during down the potentially record-breaking payday.
How much money are we talking? After speaking with a collection of ticket brokers, sports marketers and people currently and formerly working in the boxing business, ESPN’s Darren Rovell predicts that a Mayweather-McGregor fight could bring in almost as much as the $623.5 million Mayweather’s fight against Manny Pacquiao made.
Rovell broke the fight earnings down into five categories — ticket sales, pay-per-view sales, sponsorship sales, merchandise sales and legal Nevada wagering. Aside from the gambling, all of the categories are projected to be about even with Mayweather-Pacquiao. Because of the unprecedented nature of the fight and Mayweather expected to be such a heavy favorite, Wynn sportsbook director John Avello anticipates Vegas seeing a lot less action with Mayweather vs. McGregor than it did with Mayweather vs. Pacquiao.
“First of all, you’d have to lay a bunch of money on Mayweather to even win a little,” said Avello. “Second, bettors would have to be tentative on the crossover for both fighters especially of McGregor straight up boxing. And lastly, it’s just not for any title. That’s important.”
In total, Rovell came up with a bottom line number of $606.1 million for the Mayweather-McGregor fight. That’s only $17 million less than than Mayweather-Pacquiao, which took years to come together and was one of the most built-up sporting events in history.
With that type of money at stake, McGregor can probably stop with the petty social media shots he keeps taking at Floyd. One way or another, Mayweather’s side should find a way to get the deal done. There’s simply too many zeros on the end of his estimated paycheck.
