World Boxing News provides a Top 30 rundown of all-time worldwide boxing Pay Per View revenue earners in the sport’s history.
The list makes for interesting reading as Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao doesn’t take the top spot.
‘MayPac’ – which took place on May 2 of 2015, in Las Vegas, is widely recognized as the biggest money-making clash in history.
Inflation, though, tells a slightly different story.
That Pay Per View honor falls to the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ back in 1974. Probably the most famous match-up in the sport.
Muhammad Ali’s fantastic rope-a-dope efforts against George Foreman got penciled in at the lucrative top spot due to 45 years of inflation.
Taking just over $100 million from 50 million worldwide closed-circuit Pay-Per-View sales, Ali v Foreman would have made upwards of $510 million in today’s money.
Mayweather comes in at second place with $500 million, sharing the space with Ali but with two of his super-fights.
The Pacquiao joint Showtime / HBO PPV joins the Conor McGregor cross-codes bout. However, both $500m’s are only comparable ballpark figures.
Ali’s third encounter with Joe Frazier in 1975 is also down at the half a billion mark, while fifth is the first fight at $300m.
In holding five of the top ten places, there’s no doubting Mayweather – even with inflating takings, is the king of PPV.
‘The Greatest’ – Ali holds three, while the returning Mike Tyson is on two alongside Frazier.
Fought in 2018, the Canelo v Gennady Golovkin rematch is the latest battle to make it to the Top 20.
The last two major paid events are yet to get calculated.
Top 30 All-Time Boxing Pay Per View (with inflation)
October 30, 1974: Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman – $510,000,000
May 2 2, 2015: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao – $500,000,000
August 26, 2017: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor – $500,000,000
October 1, 1975: Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III – $500,000,000
March 5 8, 1971: Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier – $300,000,000
June 6 28, 1997: Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield II – $281,000,000
May 7 5, 2007: Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. – $200,000,000
August 8 19, 1995: Mike Tyson vs. Peter McNeeley – $177,000,000
September 14, 2013: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Canelo Álvarez – $160,000,000
December 8, 2007: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Ricky Hatton – $160,000,000
March 11 16, 1996: Frank Bruno vs. Mike Tyson II – $157,000,000
June 8, 2002: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson – $156,000,000
November 13 9, 1996: Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield – $150,000,000
June 27, 1988: Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks – $150,000,000
September 27, 1976: Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton III – $147,000,000
April 19, 1991: Evander Holyfield vs. George Foreman – $138,000,000
April 17 6, 1987: Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Marvin Hagler – $130,000,000
Sep 15, 2018: Canelo Álvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin II – $117,000,000
December 6, 2008: Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao – $116,000,000
September 18, 1999: Oscar De La Hoya vs. Félix Trinidad – $110,000,000
May 21 5, 2012: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Miguel Cotto – $103,000,000
May 1, 2010: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Shane Mosley – $103,000,000
September 7, 1996: Mike Tyson vs. Bruce Seldon – $102,000,000
September 16, 2017: Canelo Álvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin – $100,000,000
November 13, 2011: Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Márquez III – $100,000,000
September 26 17, 2011: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Victor Ortiz – $97,000,000
May 7, 2011: Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley – $93,000,000
May 2, 2009: Manny Pacquiao vs. Ricky Hatton – $93,000,000
November 14, 2009: Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto – $92,000,000
December 8, 2012: Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Márquez IV – $90,000,000
Pay-Per-View inflation is yet to get calculated
Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Anthony Joshua
Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury II
All Pay Per View figures are correct as of July 28, 2020.