In ten more days, the boxing world will have its first undisputed light heavyweight champion since Roy Jones Jr. in 1999. In the meantime, the alleged purse details for the boxers involved, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, have been revealed to the public. So, how much is the Russian duo making in their upcoming bout? 

WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and WBO, WBC, and IBF champion Beterbiev will lock horns on October 12th at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. For their historical showdown, the pair is set to make $10 million each, according to Boxing Kingdom. Meanwhile, the boxing world is debating over whether the purse is fair for the fighters.

Record paydays for Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol

Earlier today, Boxing Kingdom took to X to announce, “Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol Purse Info: Both Fighters are set to receive $10M Each‼️” However, it’s important to note that these figures have not been officially confirmed by the fighters or their promoters. Additionally, the reported amounts do not account for potential earnings from sponsorships, gate revenue, or pay-per-view sales tied to the event.

Interestingly, reports suggest that Bivol earned $1.9 million from his fight against Lyndon Arthur on December 23, 2023. His biggest payday, however, came from his 2022 bout against Canelo Alvarez, where he reportedly pocketed $5 million. On the other hand, Beterbiev took home $1,332,450 following his fight with Callum Smith in January this year.

Before that, the unified light heavyweight champion earned $500,000 in his fight against Anthony Yarde. With this in mind, it’s clear that both fighters are set for the biggest payday of their professional boxing careers. The news sparked plenty of discussion within the boxing community, even roping in UFC President Dana White and Bivol’s ex-wife.

Fan argues they deserve more

Given the historic significance of the bout, some would say even $10 million each is less. Something this user brought up pretty quickly. “That’s surprisingly low,” the user wrote. However, compared to their purse in previous fights—it’s a significant upgrade. 

Meanwhile, this user came up with a number that he felt was deserved for the fight. “They need at least 20 mil,” the user commented, implying either fighter should get $20 million. Notably, the boxers will make more money from the fight through other means. 

Another user shared his prediction for the fight in a sly dig. “Gonna need to give that 10 mil to bivol in his hospital bed,” the user remarked. Interestingly, despite the grim prediction, Bivol is the slight favorite going into the fight even though Beterbiev is the unified champion and the only champion with a 100% KO ratio. 

One user roped in Bivol’s ex-wife Ekaterina Bivol into the conversation. “Nice, if true. Too bad Bivol’s wife will do everything to take his money from him,” the user remarked. The pair separated back in August 2023, and since then Ekaterina has been very vocal about her disdain for the WBA Champion. 

Someone else decided to take shots at UFC president Dana White after learning about the millions Bivol and Beterbiev would make. “And Dana thinks he’ll be a better boxing promoter than the Saudis!  he’ll never pay his fighters this kinda figure,” the user commented. White has long been criticized for paying his UFC fighters very low, but the most notable names in the promotion make substantial amounts. However, they still pale in comparison to the amount made by most top-tier boxers.

That being said, the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol purse split has fans intrigued about the fight in a few days. However, it would be interesting to see how much revenue the event itself manages to generate. Regardless, who are you betting on?