Don’t believe the numbers you read about fighter pay, even if they’re coming from the contract a fighter has signed to fight.
That’s the lesson we’re learning again today as auction house Goldin has put up for grabs a signed copy of the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson contestant contract from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for their 2024 Netflix fight. That event did massive numbers but was largely a dud in the ring, which in hindsight seems pretty obvious. What else could you expect from a YouTuber
turned boxer vs. a 58 year old Tyson?
Resolute “Iron Mike” fans will say at least Tyson got paid, but the contestant contract certainly underplays the amount the former boxing heavyweight champion earned. According to the signed document, both Paul and Tyson were paid just $2 million dollars for the fight.
Don’t worry, they made more.
Initial reports had Jake Paul making around $40 million and Mike Tyson making $20 million, but even these are likely to be under-estimates given the financial success of the event. The gate alone was over 59,000 people for $18.1 million dollars.
We know that because gate figures must be revealed to combat sports commissions. Fighter pay is also a number that promoters are supposed to report in a dwindling number of states, but at this point these numbers are bunk. All the big money for a fighter isn’t loaded onto the bout agreements being disclosed. They’re hidden behind other business contracts that we will never see.
As for this contract, it still sits at $2500 with no bids.
