The tired mantra that says “boxing is dead” could not be more untrue after today’s news that the much-anticipated bout between Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto and Mexico’s Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez did huge PPV business. While projections were all over the map going into the bout, everyone is likely happy with the final totals – 900,000 pay-per-view buys and a whopping $58 million in PPV revenue. HBO (via ESPN) confirmed the numbers earlier today.
Three names have carried boxing PPV for years – Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, and Floyd Mayweather. The 900k buys is the most a boxing event has done with none of those three fighting since Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson in 2002.
Floyd vs. Manny drew 4.6 million buys earlier this year, but Mayweather’s last fight against Andre Berto was a major disappointment, drawing in the 400k range.
Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KO) defeated Cotto (40-5, 33 KO) by unanimous decision in the bout on November 21st in Las Vegas. It is unclear who either man will take on next.
About the author
