Amount earned by Golovkin for the contest against Sheremeta
In a historic move for the boxing world, Gennady Golovkin pocketed an estimated $40 million for his highly-anticipated rematch against Saul "Canelo" Alvarez on December 18, 2022 (early morning of December 19 in Kazakhstan time). This massive payday represents a significant increase from his earnings for fights against less prominent opponents, such as Kamil Shermetov, for whom no exact figure has been disclosed.
According to Boxingscene.com journalist Lail Fitzsimons, Golovkin made around $30 million from his two biggest fights with Canelo, demonstrating the enormous revenue and attention these bouts generated. The specific earnings for Golovkin's fight against Shermetov, which took place in Hollywood, Florida, have not been disclosed but are expected to be much lower, given that Shermetov is not a top-tier opponent.
Meanwhile, Mexican fighter Saul "Canelo" Alvarez earned $20 million for his super-middleweight division fight against Callum Smith, which occurred the day after Golovkin's. Alvarez emerged victorious via unanimous decision, while Golovkin successfully retained his IBF and IBO middleweight world titles.
The exact locations for both fights were not specified in the provided reports. However, the data suggests a clear trend in boxing economics: marquee matchups generate vast purses, whereas lesser-known opponents bring much smaller payouts.
| Opponent | Golovkin's Earnings | |-----------------|----------------------| | Saul "Canelo" Alvarez | Approximately $30–$40 million | | Kamil Shermetov | Not specified, but significantly less (minor fight) | | Callum Smith | Not specified, but $20 million for Alvarez |
Sports revenues are often significantly higher for marquee matchups compared to fights against lesser-known opponents, as demonstrated by Gennady Golovkin's estimated $40 million earnings for his rematch against Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, in contrast to the yet-to-be-disclosed earnings for his fight against Kamil Shermetov. Similarly, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez earned $20 million for his fight against Callum Smith, showcasing the financial appeal of high-profile boxing matches.
