For those planning to watch the mega fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. on their television screens, prepare to dole out some serious money.
According to a report from Wall Street Journal, the pay-per-view television cost of the welterweight unification bout on May 2 is a record-breaking $99 for high-definition and $89 for standard.
The previous record was $74.95 for HD and $64.95 for standard.
READ: The pay-per-view phenomenon in boxing
HBO and Showtime are set to wrap up the television deals next week, WSJ reported.
Initially, the pay TV distributors were asked to give up 70 percent of the revenue instead of the normal 50-55 percent.
That offer was quickly rejected.
WSJ said in the report that the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight might rake in more than $300 million in PPV buys, obliterating the previous record of $152 million set when Mayweather faced Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
Backstory: The road to the Pacquiao-Mayweather ‘Fight of the Century’
Mayweather has a guaranteed pay of $120 million while Pacquiao is expected to get $80 million from the fight purse alone.
Once the PPV buys are added to the two fighters’ payment, both Pacquiao and Mayweather will get a nine-figure pay.
Not bad for 36 minutes of work, if the fight goes full 12 rounds. CC
For more updates on Pacquiao-Mayweather “Fight of the Century,” visit The Pacquiao Files.