Rumor has it that returning pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. is getting a whopping $15 million when he steps into the ring to face WBA & WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18. After seventeen months in retirement, that's not too shabby for a fighter making his return during these tough economic times. In fact, that's $3 million more than the guaranteed $12 million that Manny Pacquiao received for the six minutes he tussled with Hatton on May 2.
In 2007, Floyd Mayweather Jr. earned over $50 million in purses after participating in the two biggest pay-per-view boxing fights of the year. While most of that money was earned in his record-setting clash with Oscar De La Hoya, Mayweather's last bout in particular, on December 8, 2007 against Ricky Hatton, also reportedly earned him upwards of $20 million in a matchup between two undefeated fighters. Now he makes his return to the ring against Marquez (50-4-1, 37KOs), who fought Pacquiao to a draw in their first fight and lost a razor-thin controversial split decision to him in the rematch. In both of those bouts, Pacquiao dropped Marquez a total of four times. Marquez's last fight took place at 135 lbs. On July 18, he'll meet the naturally bigger Mayweather at a catchweight of 144 lbs.
Mayweather's father, world-class trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr., believes that Marquez will be an easy night of work for his son. "Marquez ain't nothing but a tune-up; somebody to pick apart like target practice," he revealed in a recent interview with FightHype. Mayweather Jr. would echo those sentiments. "They are both too small for me. I'll beat both of them," he could be heard shouting during another interview with FightHype. It must be nice to make millions for an easy night of work. Aw yes...it's good to be the king.