The boxing world is abuzz following Saul Alvarez’s sensational KO over James Kirkland on Saturday night at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. It was by no means the best opponent Canelo has ever beaten, but it goes down as one of the best highlights in the Mexican’s career. For a non-PPV event it will go down as one of boxing’s biggest events in 2015, and the purse numbers for Kirkland and Canelo reflect that. (Per ESPN’s Dan Rafael)
Kirkland purse was $1.3M. Canelo’s purse is a percentage of the event. Figure it has to be at least $3.5M. #CaneloKirkland #boxing
— Dan Rafael (@danrafaelespn) May 10, 2015
Official attendance for the HBO-televised event at the Major League Baseball stadium was listed at 31,588, but official gate numbers haven’t been released.
Canelo is one of boxing’s top earners, and snagging at least $3.5 million is fairly high for a non-PPV fight. He had a $5 million guaranteed purse for his big fight with Floyd Mayweather in September 2013, but racked up additional millions by getting a share of the PPV revenues. His two PPV fights in 2014 against Erislandy Lara and Alfredo Angulo netted him $1,500,000 and and $1,150,000 in purse money, respectively.
On the other side, Kirkland was out of action for 17 months and really has never stamped himself as a truly elite fighter — no doubt he’s a wildly and recklessly entertaining fighter — a $1.3 million purse is surely the highest purse he’s ever received and probably won’t be topped unless he shapes up and starts consistently beating top-flight opposition.
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