• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
The incredible amount Mike Tyson was paid for his first ever pro fight as stunning payslip revealed

Home> Boxing> Boxing News

Published 13:28 25 Apr 2024 GMT+1

The incredible amount Mike Tyson was paid for his first ever pro fight as stunning payslip revealed

Mike Tyson earned a measly amount for his professional debut.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

Mike Tyson took home a tiny paycheck following his blistering win over Hector Mercedes in his professional boxing debut.

Tyson made his bow in the pro ranks back in March 1985 when he fought Mercedes, who was 19 years of age and 0-3 in his three pro fights.

And 'Iron' Mike, just 18 at the time, made light work of the Puerto Rican fighter, stopping him in the very first round.

Advert

Sporting white trunks, he took just one minute and 47 seconds to knock out Mercedes as he showed off his frightening power and hand speed in a stunning performance, with the referee compassionately waving off the contest.

Remarkably, given the multimillion-dollar paydays he'd make, Tyson's pro debut failed to sell out the Plaza Convention Center and actually lost money. His manager Jimmy Jacobs shelled out the boxer's modest $450 earnings.

"I hardly made any money from those early fights," he said in his autobiography, Undisputed Truth. "My first fight lost money for the promoter, but Jimmy gave me $500. Then he took $50 from that to give to Kevin and he put $350 in the bank for me, so I walked away with $100."

Advert

After becoming a household name and the sport's biggest star, Tyson would go onto make massive purses for fights against the likes of Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield.

He bagged a whopping $17,500,000 for his bout against Lewis and earned a staggering $30,000,000 for his first showdown against Holyfield.

Mike Tyson in action against Evander Holyfield. Image: Getty
Mike Tyson in action against Evander Holyfield. Image: Getty

And he's expected to receive a huge purse for his exhibition bout against Jake Paul, who has said in the past he believes a fight against Tyson could generate an incredible $300 million.

Advert

While Paul's estimation could be overly ambitious, UFC legend Henry Cejudo has claimed Tyson could make a cool $20 million.

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Mike Tyson, Boxing

Nasir Jabbar
Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar is a journalist at SPORTbible. He graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA in Media Communications. He's a combat sport aficionado and has contributed to MMA websites AddictedMMA and CagePotato. Nasir has covered some of the biggest fights, while interviewing the likes of Conor McGregor, Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Darren Till. He's also an avid Bristol City fan.

X

@NasJabbar

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

2 hours ago
18 hours ago
19 hours ago
20 hours ago
  • Getty Images
    2 hours ago

    Eddie Hearn To Sue Chris Eubank Jr Over Serious Accusation in News Conference

    Eubank Jr accused Hearn of endangering his life.

    Boxing
  • DAZN/Matchroom
    18 hours ago

    Tony Bellew Slams Eubank Jr After ‘Wild’ Accusation About Conor Benn Fight

    Chris Eubank Jr. made a serious accusation about his fight against Conor Benn during the launch press conference for their rematch.

    Boxing
  • DAZN
    19 hours ago

    Eddie Hearn Slams Chris Eubank Jr as He Refuses to Let Him Speak About Ricky Hatton

    Chris Eubank Jr is set to take on Conor Benn in November.

    Boxing
  • Getty
    20 hours ago

    Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis in 'Jeopardy' Over Rule Dispute

    Jake Paul's promoter has since shared an update on his fighter's proposed exhibition against Gervonta Davis.

    Boxing
  • Mike Tyson Makes Shock Fentanyl Admission Days After Mayweather Fight Announced
  • Mike Tyson vs Floyd Mayweather Fight Set To Include Unusual Rule
  • Mike Tyson Issued ‘Disturbing’ Medical Warning Amid Floyd Mayweather Fight Reveal
  • Mike Tyson Picks Clear Winner in Canelo Vs Crawford Fight Live on Netflix