EDDIE HEARN says Canelo Alvarez and Jake Paul could put themselves in line to share a massive £160MILLION purse for their shock fight.
The boxing great and YouTuber-turned-boxer are reportedly in talks for a surprise bout in May.
Paul’s last fight marked Netflix’s first move into live boxing – with over 100MILLION tuning in to watch his points win over Mike Tyson.
Despite controversy surrounding the event due to 58-year-old Tyson’s age, it was still a huge commercial success with £14m made in ticket sales too.
Hearn believes a fight with Canelo could make £24m just in tickets with another £144m in pay-per-view buys.
He told iFL TV: “If it’s on Netflix it’s not pay-per-view.
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“But if it’s on Amazon Prime it would be pay-per-view and with DAZN, I dunno how it’s going to work.
“But the fight does on pay-per-view, at $90 the fight does potentially two million buys. Which is $180million (£144m) of revenue, just TV revenue.
“Not closed circuit, not the gate, the gate’s another $30million (£24m). You’re looking at over $200million (£160m) in revenue for that fight.
“And with the gate of $30million, obviously you have to give a percentage to the broadcaster but with sponsorship and international TV, global pay-per-view, I think that fight generates $200million if it does two million buys.
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“So potentially Canelo, in my opinion he’ll earn more than Jake Paul but even if it was a 50/50 split, $100million each, oh what a terrible day at the office.
“Imagine Canelo Alvarez getting one hundred mill to fight Jake Paul.”
Journlist Dan Rafael reported that Canelo, 34, was in early talks to face Paul, 28, on May 3 in Vegas.
Mexican reporter Julianis Julius meanwhile claimed an agreement to fight was already in place.
Canelo was also lined up for a super-fight against unbeaten American Terence Crawford, 34, in September in Las Vegas.
But the fight now appears to be OFF – as Hearn admitted the four-division champion will inevitably go where the money is.
He said: “Canelo’s super transparent, give him the money and you’ve got the fight.
“If he can make more money and certainly in this instance considerably more money to fight Jake Paul than he can to fight, I dunno Charlo, Pacheco, even Bivol, he’s going to do it.
“He does not care. He’s got the legacy, he’s got the belts, just give him the money.
“It’s all about the deal and if he’s going to get a s*** load of money to fight Jake Paul, he’s taking it.
How I know Canelo, I don’t think he’ll want to play around with him, he might do for a couple of rounds but I don’t think he’ll just want to hold him up. I think he’ll want to punish him.
Eddie Hearn
“And I think, when you think about it the money’s mad.”
Canelo currently holds the WBC, WBA and WBO 168lb super-middleweight titles at 12st.
Paul meanwhile bulked up to heavyweight at 16st 2lb for his eight-round decision win over 58-year-old Tyson.
His last four bouts had been at the 200lb cruiserweight limit of 14st 4lb – having been as low as 185lb in his career beforehand.
And Paul’s team suggested he would be willing to come back down to as low as 185lb for a 13st 2lb catchweight clash with Canelo.
Hearn – who has promoted Canelo in the past – warned the fight will go on for however long the ring icon wants it to.
He said: “Canelo will end the fight whenever he wants.
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“How I know Canelo, I don’t think he’ll want to play around with him, he might do for a couple of rounds but I don’t think he’ll just want to hold him up. I think he’ll want to punish him and it’s massive.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
