Since the popularity of mixed martial arts has erupted, the pay scale for fighters has been slowly increasing. Some of the top-level athletes such as Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz have reaped the larger paydays in the six and seven-figure range. Paydays of that magnitude weren't even in shouting range about three or four years ago.
Even with the elevation of pay the last couple years, many fans and critics still believe that mixed martial artists’ pay isn’t even in the same league as boxers.
Gary Shaw has promoted fights in both boxing and mixed martial arts and believes the disparity is not as big as the critics believe.
“Truthfully, I don't think there is a discrepancy,” he said in a recent conference call. “I think that people believe that. But trust me, there's not a discrepancy that you all think there is. Fighters that are starting out that are getting paid a thousand or two thousand a fight are no different than an undercard boxer.”
Many people like to criticize the fact that Oscar De La Hoya pulled in over $23 million for his last fight against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and that MMA fighters don't make anything near that amount.
“Remember one thing. In order to make the gigantic dollars, then you need two fighters,” Shaw explained. “One fighter doesn't make a fight. And the only two fighters that I know that have ever been able to put all the butts in the seats by themselves are (Mike) Tyson and Oscar De La Hoya. And they're very few and far between.
“Most other fights need both sides to make the huge fight. So De La Hoya and Mayweather did huge pay-per-view numbers, but it took both fighters. It took more of a street guy in Mayweather and more of a crossover in De La Hoya. So you need that as well in the mixed martial arts. But I don't think that there's the discrepancy that you all think there might be out there. I think there's some bad info out there.”
As time goes on and MMA gains more mainstream acceptance, fighter pay is likely to go up. It will still take time for the fighters to make as much money as the top promoted boxers, but with time, the scales should even themselves.
Even with the elevation of pay the last couple years, many fans and critics still believe that mixed martial artists’ pay isn’t even in the same league as boxers.
Gary Shaw has promoted fights in both boxing and mixed martial arts and believes the disparity is not as big as the critics believe.
“Truthfully, I don't think there is a discrepancy,” he said in a recent conference call. “I think that people believe that. But trust me, there's not a discrepancy that you all think there is. Fighters that are starting out that are getting paid a thousand or two thousand a fight are no different than an undercard boxer.”
Many people like to criticize the fact that Oscar De La Hoya pulled in over $23 million for his last fight against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and that MMA fighters don't make anything near that amount.
“Remember one thing. In order to make the gigantic dollars, then you need two fighters,” Shaw explained. “One fighter doesn't make a fight. And the only two fighters that I know that have ever been able to put all the butts in the seats by themselves are (Mike) Tyson and Oscar De La Hoya. And they're very few and far between.
“Most other fights need both sides to make the huge fight. So De La Hoya and Mayweather did huge pay-per-view numbers, but it took both fighters. It took more of a street guy in Mayweather and more of a crossover in De La Hoya. So you need that as well in the mixed martial arts. But I don't think that there's the discrepancy that you all think there might be out there. I think there's some bad info out there.”
As time goes on and MMA gains more mainstream acceptance, fighter pay is likely to go up. It will still take time for the fighters to make as much money as the top promoted boxers, but with time, the scales should even themselves.