Are Boxers Underpaid Compared To Other Sports?

[WladIsTheChamp]

Depends, compared to say football (US or otherwise), basketball, baseball, then yes. Compared to any other combat sport like MMA, K1, etc., then boxers are the highest paid. I was surprised how little the UFC guys make.

[ThatHaitiankid]

well boxing is easy to get into so i dunno....

[old cat]

That is determined by the market. If you can put butts in seats you get paid. Look at Pac and Floyd they make more than most of the athletes on the planet. One could argure they are the highest paid if we just look at income from performing their sport, not endorsements(although, endorsement are also a function of the market).

Pac and Floyd are small men, yet they generate massive revenue. The funny is the potential an exciting heavy weight could make. One cut from the mold of a Dempsey or a Tyson. Someone who could draw in the masses would make Pac and Floyds income look paltry. Its all about what the public is willing to pay for, not what we deem an acceptable salary.



The NFL, for example, is a team sport. Individual sports have the possibility to make figures that are freakish. The nature of team sport have a distributing effect with respect to incomes.


So the answer to your question is NO. If boxers want to make the kind of money Pac and Floyd make they must work harder. They must bring something to the table that makes people want to see them.

[Jim Jeffries]

Adjusting for inflation, I'm not sure any athlete has made more than Mike Tyson, though perhaps Michael Jordan comes the closest.

The average boxer gets paid peanuts compared to other pro sports though.

[goblin213]

Let's ask Andre Berto about this.

[rochemback]

Compared to sports like golf or tennis, absolutely. Those are games, boxing is not a game, the literally put their life on the line. Doesn't have to mean that boxers are underpaid, but a lot of other sports are outreageously overpaid.

[New England]

that depends on the boxer i'd say.


andre berto is over-paid. if he fought pacquiao or mayweather, or made a deal with the infamous team khan, he'd probably either price himself out, or be underpaid


giovanni segura is under-paid


considering the risk, most pro's are underpaid
guy's in the four rounders opening up club cards are fighting for hundreds of dollars sometimes when you factor in their expenses.