The last few months of the year promises to be an eventful time for boxing. Two fights will vie for the Pay-per-view audience but which one will sell more?
Floyd Mayweather has been the best-selling pro boxer in the history of pay-per-view and his recent bout with Manny Pacquiao broke all existing records. It would be hard to bet against him, not just in the ring where he is undefeated, but also on the balance sheet.
However, another superfight is on the way between two former Mayweather victims: Miguel Cotto and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. Cotto is now the middleweight champion coming of an impressive knockout victory while Canelo's only blemish in his career is the one inflicted by Mayweather.
These are two fighters coming off wins and they also represent one of the greatest rivalries in boxing: Puerto Rico vs Mexico.
Which fight would sell more? An blow-by-blow analysis by Bad Left Hook has noted that while Mayweather is the biggest draw, the sting of the Manny Pacquiao fight which had fans disappointed might scare away fans.
The article states that fans need a compelling reason to buy a Mayweather fight again, and Andre Berto is definitely not the answer.
Meanwhile, Cotto and Canelo have very strong fan bases. Both fighters' styles are pleasing to the crowd, who may have gone tired of Money's "defensive" tactics. Aside from the rivalry, the promotion will be handled by HBO, who, the article notes, "has widened the gap" between them and Showtime.
Total Sportek projected that "the PPV (of Cotto-Canelo) is expected to be priced at $64.95 and HBO are looking at at least a 1.5 million buys." It will likely be the biggest paydays of both fighters.