Dana White Addresses “$100 Million Payday” for Canelo vs. Crawford

For the first time in his career, UFC President Dana White is stepping into the boxing world as a promoter — and he’s doing so on the sport’s biggest stage: the superfight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford this weekend in Las Vegas.

With widespread reports claiming that the two undisputed champions could each pocket sums approaching the nine-figure mark, White was asked directly about the staggering purses and why boxing stars appear to earn significantly more than mixed martial artists.

“When you look at the UFC, the money is spread across the roster,” White explained. “You earn exactly what you generate. If you’re a huge star like Conor McGregor or Ronda Rousey, history has shown you can make incredible money through pay-per-view revenue sharing.”

White emphasized that comparisons between boxing and MMA paydays are often misleading. “We also have fighters who are considered ‘skilled craftsmen’ in MMA, but when they step into professional boxing, they’ve made millions of dollars. So the disparity between the two sports isn’t always as clear-cut as people think.”

Turning to the blockbuster fight itself, White didn’t shy away from the numbers. “Imagine what the organizers have to pay for an undisputed champion like Canelo to step into the ring, and then to bring in an undefeated, undisputed champion like Crawford moving up in weight. Are we talking about $100 million paydays? Absolutely, it’s possible,” he admitted.

Reports suggest Alvarez will receive the lion’s share of the purse — potentially 10 to 15 times more than Crawford — reflecting his global star power and status as the face of boxing. Still, Crawford’s cut is expected to reach historic levels for a fighter moving divisions, ensuring both men leave Las Vegas with life-changing sums.

The event also carries wider significance: it marks the official launch of TKO Boxing, a project under the umbrella of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of both UFC and WWE that went public in 2024. Dana White is at the helm of operations, with his longtime friend and business partner Turki Alalshikh — the influential Saudi advisor behind the Riyadh Season mega-events — co-promoting the show.

Together, White and Alalshikh are shaping what could be the most lucrative fight in modern boxing history. For fans across Asia and beyond, the spectacle of Canelo vs. Crawford is not only about legacy and glory inside the ring, but also a glimpse into the future of how combat sports may be promoted — where the boundaries between MMA, boxing, and global entertainment continue to blur.