In the world of boxing, big fights mean big money. And this Saturday night, when Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Sergio Martinez enter the ring to face off on HBO pay-per-view will be no different. The Nevada State Athletic Commission has released purse figures for the bout and Chavez will be making $3,000,000 for the fight while Martinez will rake in $1,500,000.
Chavez Jr. Vs. Martinez Fight Purses: Chavez Jr. $3 Million, Martinez $1.5 Million
That may seem backward as Martinez is the far more accomplished fighter, a player at the championship level since 2008 with huge wins over Kelly Pavlik and Paul Williams and has been a fixture in the top five of the pound-for-pound rakings for several years.
But the guy bringing the serious money from the fans for this fight isn’t Martinez, it’s Chavez. Sure, a good portion of that is due to his father’s accomplishments and name, but Jr. is a superstar that the Mexican fanbase cares deeply about. And, in all honesty, this is a bigger fight than Martinez could have gotten anywhere else. This is a case where Chavez is the bigger attraction and is the one giving Martinez the big fight, so he makes the bigger bucks.
Scott Christ over at Bad Left Hook explains just how big of a fight this is for both men, but especially Martinez:
If Sergio wins, it will be the biggest win of his career. I know Paul Williams and Kelly Pavlik were more respected fighters, and I’m fine saying, if it goes as many expect on Saturday with Sergio winning the fight, that those would still be the best wins of his career. But this fight with Jr can make him a star. This is a big fight, and don’t let anyone tell you differently. This is about as big as a fight on US soil gets without involving Floyd or Manny.
For more on this fight, continue to follow us here on SB Nation as well as our boxing blog, Bad Left Hook.
See More:
