The upcoming welterweight showdown between former pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao and Californian brawler Brandon Rios is reportedly bound to become the richest boxing bout in Asia, breaking the previous record set by the 1990 heavyweight title showdown between Mike Tyson and James 'Buster' Douglas in Tokyo, Japan.
In an interview with South China Morning Post, Top-Rank head promoter Bob Arum is confident the Pacquiao vs. Rios fight would be a smash hit in terms of the fight purse, ticket sales and pay-per-view buys in the largest continent in the world.
Despite falling to Juan Manuel Marquez via 6th round TKO last December, Pacquiao is reportedly set to earn $20 million while Rios will pocket the largest paycheck of his boxing career at $4 million.
"It will be by far the biggest purse in Asia," Arum said."I expect Manny to make approximately $20 million and Rios $4 million. There's no question it will be the biggest boxing fight in Asia ever," Arum told the publication this week.
Reminiscing the Tokyo Fight
In one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, the 42-1 underdog Buster Douglas defied the odds to knock out the heavy favorite Iron Mike Tyson in the 10th round of their undisputed heavyweight championship fight on Feb. 11, 1990 at Tokyo Dome.
Douglas pocketed only $1.3 million while Tyson, who was the biggest superstar in boxing during that era, earned $6 million from the fight.
Manny Money and his Growing Popularity
According to the chief executive of co-promoters Sands China Edward Tracy, the Pacquiao-Rios showdown has generated immense interest among Chinese boxing fans to the extent that the government-owned television network CCTV will broadcast the Battle in Cotai rumble to 300 million viewers across Mainland China.
"From a sporting viewpoint, this event will probably be the biggest event since the Beijing Olympics [in 2008]. We are expecting [a capacity crowd] of around 12,000 spectators," Tracy told SCMP via the Manila Times.
The Pacquiao vs. Rios showdown is scheduled on Nov. 23 at Venetian Macao in Macau, China.