Manny Pacquiao during the post-fight press conference of Pacquiao-Bradley 3 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Pacquiao beat Timothy Bradley via unanimous decision. PHOTO BY REM ZAMORA
HOLLYWOOD — How much money did Manny Pacquiao earn from boxing?
Estimates vary, but his total haul from a career spanning over two decades will add up to over $500 million (around P23.5 billion), counting endorsements.
For his farewell fight against Timothy Bradley Saturday night (Sunday in Manila), Pacquiao is guaranteed $20 million, which is much smaller than the $120 total revenues he supposedly got from his losing effort against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in their super blockbuster encounter last May 2.
That bout smashed boxing’s financial records, posting $600M in total sales, primarily from an astonishing 4.6 PPV buys.
Pacquiao-Bradley III was the 14th straight fight the eight-division world champion has earned at least $15 million, dating back to his conquest of Oscar De La Hoya in 2008, when he was guaranted $11M plus a share of $4M in pay-per-view sales.
Thus far, Pacquiao’s 21 PPV bouts, excluding his third fight against Bradley at MGM Grand Garden Arena, have generated 18 million buys and $1.2 billion in revenue.
It was Pacquiao’s 26th US fight, 13 at MGM Grand, starting with his breakout fight against Lehlohonolo Ledwaba in 2001. Pacquiao’s purse was reportedly $40,000.
As Pacquiao’s popularity rose, so did his purse.
Against Briton Rcky Hatton he got $12M + PPV shares, against Miguel Cotto ($22M + PPV), against Joshua Clottey ($17M), against Antonio Margarito ($15M +PPV), against ShaneMosley ($20M +PPV), against Juan Manuel Marquez ($22M + PPV), against Bradley for the secnd time ($26M +PPV), against Marquez again ($26M +PPV), Brandon Rios ($18M +PPV), against Bradley for the first time ($20M) and against Chris Algieri ($25M).
Pacquiao’s purse against Mayweather was $60M, but the astronomical sales pushed it beyond his imagination.
If the gate receipts are an indication, then Pacquiao-Bradley III didn’t do as bad as it was feared, owing to the backlash of Pacquiao’s anti-gay remarks in a television interview last February.
The third fight drew 14,665 spectators, surpassing both the first, which attracted 14,154, and second, which lured $14,009 paying fans, editions.
With Mayweather’s retirement, Pacquiao was supposely the most bankable boxing star of his generation.
But Pacquiao has followed suit, depriving boxing of its top draws.