Yeah, that's why I understand why Teddy Atlas goes nuts whenever a robbery happens. I mean, these guys are giving everything for our entertainment and it's killing them, sometimes literally.
I'm still haunted by watching Yunieski Gonzalez, who had all of his family still in Cuba depending on him to win getting robbed against Jean Pascal and sobbing in the ring afterwards.
I almost stopped watching after that shxt
the ali act states that your manager cannot take more than 33%. most take that, or around 30%. trainers take, on average, around 10%. some fighters who make it to the top negotiate that amount, and sometimes they can't reach an agreement and will walk away from each other
fighters also have to pay expenses. travel, taking care of their bodies, and training are the big ones.
they are independent contractors who work for promotors on a contract basis, and who hire managers on a contract basis. after they calculate their earnings they pay taxes like any other business.
there is obviously more to it than that, but those are the basics.
The sad truth, if the statistics are accurate.
I was thinking about this last Saturday night, when the announcers mentioned that Francisco Vargas has 3 children.
You could tell he was a man on a mission, walking through every punch Berchelt threw at him without a care in the world because he wasn't fighting for himself...but for those who depend on him.
What a tough sport.