Canelo-GGG rematch PPV numbers drop slightly from first fight
The Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin rematch wasn’t quite as popular with boxing fans as their first fight.
Alvarez’s majority decision over Golovkin on Sept. 15 at T-Mobile Arena reportedly had 1.1 million pay-per-view buys. The first match last year drew 1.3 million PPV buys. Both were televised on HBO PPV.
The live gate numbers for the rematch generated $23.5 million, the fourth highest in terms of gate receipts in Nevada boxing history. The first bout had a live gate of $27 million, third highest in state boxing history.
Many assumed the rematch would outsell the controversial split draw from 2017 because of the bad blood between the boxers.
Tom Loeffler, Golovkin’s promoter, said he thinks many boxing fans were turned off by Alvarez’s two failed drug tests in February that resulted in the initial May 5 rematch being canceled.
“It’s still a huge statement to have $23 million for the gate,” Loeffler said. “You can look at it as being down from the first fight, but I think it had to do with Canelo testing positive and being suspended. Some of his Mexican fan base wasn’t as supportive as the first fight. But I think the second fight was such a great fight that fans will be re-engaged for the third fight, especially with the controversy from the scoring.”
Judges Dave Moretti and Steve Weisfeld scored the fight 115-113 for Alvarez. Judge Glenn Feldman had it 114-114.
The majority of ringside reporters had Golovkin winning or a draw.
“It’s just an interesting phenomenon why the scores don’t reflect what the majority of people thought happened in the fight,” Loeffler said. “I think we’ll see a third fight only because the economics make the most sense for both sides.”
Los Angeles lands heavyweight bout
The drought continues for Las Vegas to host a heavyweight megabout.
The Staples Center in Los Angeles landed the highly anticipated Dec. 1 heavyweight title fight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury. The Mandalay Bay Events Center made a big push for the Showtime pay-per-view fight.
“I can’t wait to fight Tyson Fury in the biggest fight in the heavyweight division and all of boxing,” Wilder said in a statement. “I have tremendous respect for Fury for agreeing to leave England and come to the U.S. to challenge me. I’m the WBC champion, he’s the lineal champion, and the winner of this fight will show the world who is ‘The Man’ in the heavyweight division.
“As much as I respect Fury, I fear no man and fully intend to knock him out like every man that I’ve ever faced in the ring.”
Showtime announced the bout last month but didn’t finalize the date and venue until this week. Initially, T-Mobile Arena was penciled in as the host venue if the fight was made for November.
“People talk about me only having two fights since my layoff, but that doesn’t bother me at all,” Fury said in a statement. “This is the Tyson Fury show. It always has been. This is my era, and I proved that when I beat (Wladimir) Klitschko in his own backyard. Is Wilder the biggest puncher I have faced? You don’t know that until you are on the floor.
“It is all about not getting hit in this fight. Until someone beats me, I am the king of the heavyweight division. Long live the king.”
Tickets go on sale at noon Wednesday and are available on Axs.com. They start at $75.
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Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GManzano24 on Twitter.
Schedule
Oct 13: Golden Boy Fight Night, Hard Rock Hotel, 6 p.m., Facebook Watch
Oct. 20: Ryota Murata vs. Rob Brant, Park MGM, 7:30 p.m., ESPN Plus
