LAS VEGAS --Turns out the obituaries written for boxing were a bit premature. Oscar De La Hoya's fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. set a record for most televised buys for a fight, according to figures released Wednesday, surpassing Mike Tyson's second fight with Evander Holyfield and making it boxing's richest event.

A total of 2.15 million households paid $54.95 for the fight, generating revenue of $120 million. The previous record set by Tyson-Holyfield was 1.99 million buys.

"This puts to bed this theory of boxing being in trouble, or being dead or dying," said Ross Greenburg, head of HBO Sports. "This fight would have never materialized if boxing was dying."

A person close to the promotion said De La Hoya would end up making about $45 million for the fight and Mayweather just over $20 million. That person requested anonymity because the promoters did not want official figures released.

The $45 million would be the biggest purse paid to a fighter, higher than the $35 million purses Tyson and Holyfield reportedly were paid for the infamous "Bite Fight."

Mayweather beat De La Hoya on a split decision Saturday night in an entertaining fight that drew a record live gate of $19 million at the MGM Grand Garden arena. Mayweather won on two of the three ringside scorecards to win the WBC 154-pound title.

The fight will be replayed Saturday at 10 p.m. EDT.

Greenburg credited the success of the network's "24/7" reality show that ran in a coveted Sunday night slot behind the "Sopranos" and "Entourage" for three weeks leading up to the fight with helping sell both the public and the media on its worth.

Mayweather and his dysfunctional family, including his estranged father, Floyd Sr., and his trainer and uncle, Roger, became the stars of the show, allowing non-boxing fans a glimpse into the life of the fighter.

"The series was not only well received by the American public, who were suddenly attracted in a very human way to these two fighters, but it allowed the media to cover the fight in more depth," Greenburg said. "They were able to dive deeper into the backgrounds of both fighters."

The reality show concept never had been done among top fighters in boxing, but a similar series on the Spike network was credited with making Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed-martial arts fighters popular.

Greenburg said the 2.15 million buys have to be multiplied because most people who bought the fight invited others over to watch. Multiplied by five fans or more a household, the fight likely was seen live by well over 10 million people, he said.

"I'm not going to say that boxing was thriving, but it was thriving on our network," Greenburg said. "I think we were losing the average sports fans, but this proves if you do the right names and the right matches you can win the average fan back."

The huge success and competitive nature of the fight also brings up the possibility of a rematch.

"You can't generate this kind of revenue and think the two fighters wouldn't want to do it again," Greenburg said. "I haven't heard from Oscar, so I don't know. You never know in boxing."

dam , 45 million.

A total of 2.15 million households paid $54.95 for the fight, generating revenue of $120 million. The previous record set by Tyson-Holyfield was 1.99 million buys.

"This puts to bed this theory of boxing being in trouble, or being dead or dying," said Ross Greenburg, head of HBO Sports. "This fight would have never materialized if boxing was dying."

A person close to the promotion said De La Hoya would end up making about $45 million for the fight and Mayweather just over $20 million

Case closed on the nonsensical claim that boxing is dead.:sifone:

one huge PPV every 10 years can't sustain a sport as huge as boxing

There yearly PPV numbers don't lie

one huge PPV every 10 years can't sustain a sport as huge as boxing

There yearly PPV numbers don't lie

Tell me again how many years MMA has been massively popular here in North America? Tell me again how many years it spent with just a cult following and was followed mostly by the internet?

Tell me again how many years MMA has been massively popular here in North America? Tell me again how many years it spent with just a cult following and was followed mostly by the internet?

I'm not saying boxing won't be fine... but jimmy's statement about "nonsensical claim that boxing is dead." needed some devil's advocate

Boxing will be fine, but MMA has already taken over the PPV market and shows no signs of slowing down for awhile yet

I'm not saying boxing won't be fine... but jimmy's statement about "nonsensical claim that boxing is dead." needed some devil's advocate

Boxing will be fine, but MMA has already taken over the PPV market and shows no signs of slowing down for awhile yet

Why does my belief that 'MMA fans who think boxing is dead are wrong', need some devils advocate?

Good question.

Personally I don't really think much of anyone who thinks boxing, something that has survived for over 100 years (including the great depression), is going to die because all of a sudden MMA is experiencing a growth in popularity.

The fact is over the next few months we have tons of potential great fights that will make a lot of money. None will make near as much as De La Hoya/Mayweather, but its still a good time for boxing.

Boxing isnt dead but it's lacking a face. It has been for a while and if you consider the fact that the american public hasnt really been that into boxing since the HW division has gone to shit then it makes it hard for me to believe that it's far from dead. Lets say it's in a coma. How's that work for you? Like the dude says, one killer main event a year isnt enough to sustain an industry at the top. My family went to Vegas this week and said they saw so many fucking Liddell Rampage billboards and posters that it wasnt even funny. What's that tell you? Basically Boxing has lost a lot of it's marketability and it will take some serious contenters with charisma to bring it back to life.

Boxing aint in no coma. I don't understand what the fuck you guys are talking about. There are about 10 huge fights that are coming up in the next few months that will make a lot of money and generate public interest. Maybe the guys competing wont be on Jay Leno, and maybe Jennifer Lopez wont be at any of them, but they are solid fights and I can gaurentee you there is a strong fan base waiting to see them.

I dont understand you people who say "boxing is dead" or "boxing is in a coma" when you guys don't even have your finger on the pulse.

The day that A-level boxers start switching to MMA to make a living is the day I'll agree boxing is dead. All I see is a legion of butthurt MMA fans, jealous that a boxing match did so fucking well.

round and round she goes.,.. who fucking cares

we broke the 2 million mark finally!

does Oscar stand to make a second Pay day ala Don King because his company promoted the fight ? or is that already why he's getting 45 mil ?

Cause i could see him clearly 60million off this fight if he still stands to get his piece from Golden Boys Promotions doing this fight..

how sick is that !.. anyone know forsure?

^ I dont really understand the question, you mean as a promoter?
I wouldnt know, I think $45 mill is enough for one day!
Oscar probably makes more per fight than Russell Crowe makes for a movie

one fight is all it took to destroy the ppv buys record but people STILL think boxing is dying, I dont get this backwards logic

I dont know much about boxing and dont like watching it. I'll say something though, in the past big fights in the HW's caused interest even in Brazil (where I'm from), and nowadays none of these matches are even heard of. I check sport news everyday in many sites and none had anything about this fight in their main pages. I don't know in the US but seems to me boxing is losing interest in other parts.

I am a huge boxing fan, as well as MMA fan, but I do have to point out that the reason this fight did so well was the timing and the name behind it. Oscar De la Hoya was the reason this fight garnered so much attention, add in the fact that this fight was set on Cinco de Mayo, May 5th Mexican Independance Day, and you have the main reason it did so well. The Mexican demographic per PPV must be huge.

On another note...Boxing is not dead but the interest level in it seems to decrease and attain less fans as days go on. I believe a major factor for this is the lack of boxing facilities and oppurtunity that younger rural American fans have to discover this sport. Just this year in my hometown the city council did away with funding for the local boxing league, which over the years had become a very popular mainstay for young kids who found solice in the gym rather than on the streets. We had local events once a month which showcased fighters from ages 10 to 20, and had a pretty decent draw from the cummunity. Now without funding the club, along with local interest, has slowly weened away and it will only continue this way until further steps are taken to provide facilities for potential boxing stars throughout small towns and rural America.

*There are multiple factors that cause the sway of interest in any sport, but a bunch of "know it alls" arguing over which sport is better and which makes more money is idiotic. I will continue to watch both sports as I have, and if I put one event, not sport, over the other than so be it. I am just glad the UFN's are usually on Thursday and do not coincide with FNF.

i bet 150 million of those people were fat, sweaty, bearded ladies cramming their hand up their snatch watching oscar.

^ I dont really understand the question, you mean as a promoter?
I wouldnt know, I think $45 mill is enough for one day!
Oscar probably makes more per fight than Russell Crowe makes for a movie

one fight is all it took to destroy the ppv buys record but people STILL think boxing is dying, I dont get this backwards logic

Yes i mean as a promotoer.. Oscar owns Golden Boy Promotions (which promoted the PBF-DLH fight) The same way Don King would promote Tyson fights and make millions of Dollars

So I can only assume that Oscar stands to make another 5 - 10 million coming from being the promoter, I'll see what i can find on the interweb

Good question.

Personally I don't really think much of anyone who thinks boxing, something that has survived for over 100 years (including the great depression), is going to die

Why would any sport die during the great depression?
Just being a bastard... but seriously answer the question and do not say because of money.

I think the answer to what takes away the "sway" from fans is that the fact boxing is too slow and boring.

Case close, people want to see violences they want to see people get kicked in the face they want to see knees they want to see blood. They do not want to see two guys move around and exchange jabs for 12 rounds and not be able to tell what connects and what doesn't.

I think the answer to what takes away the "sway" from fans is that the fact boxing is too slow and boring.

Case close, people want to see violences they want to see people get kicked in the face they want to see knees they want to see blood. They do not want to see two guys move around and exchange jabs for 12 rounds and not be able to tell what connects and what doesn't.

You hit the nail on the head...well sorta.
The mma demographic wants to see 'people get kicked in the face they want to see knees they want to see blood"& thats y mma mfans continue to profess that boxing is dead*cough*,boring and the likes.
However not all sports fans clamour for this,some enjoy & appreciate scientific boxing over blood & brutal knees in the face,& thats a fact.
So its wrong to assume that what ur ufc demographic likes is what ALL people like.
.