Floyd Mayweather stands above Mike Tyson as the generational Pay Per View king for home box office sales.
However, Mayweather gets dwarfed by old greats Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier’s overall purchases for screen time.
As World Boxing News breaks down the Top Ten Pay PPV sellers from the boxing world, Mayweather’s inclusion at fourth comes at the price of closed-circuit TV.
Many would instantly think Floyd Mayweather had sold the most Pay Per Views in history. However, when you look closer at the statistics, several factors come into play.
If total sales from all platforms where fans pay to watch the sport on a screen get taken into account, Ali is way out in front on 160 million and change.
That was back when most people had to buy a ticket to a theater to watch the fight live. That would change in the future with Home Box Office [HBO] PPV added into the mix.
This format would soon take over.
With Ali way out in front in the paid punter stakes, nobody gets near ‘The Greatest’ until closest rival Joe Frazier sixty million back on 100 million.
George Foreman is third on over 50 million thanks to his fight with Ali in 1974 and subsequent comeback in the 1980s.
Mayweather is fourth due to this era being primarily broadcast on home Pay Per View with closed-circuit a mere extra thanks to cable.
Manny Pacquiao comes fifth, with knockout icon Mike Tyson coming in sixth. Conor McGregor, Oscar De La Hoya, Anthony Joshua, and Evander Holyfield are Rounding off the top ten.
FLOYD MAYWEATHER PPV KING
Now, if we take those ten superstars and take away the closed-circuit sales, that’s where Floyd Mayweather comes into his element.
For instance, ‘Money’ is nine million ahead of Tyson on both lists. Pacquiao is second, in front of “The Baddest Man on the Planet.’
McGregor, De La Hoya, Joshua, and Holyfield give the top seven positions a distinct flavor of the post-1970s.
Due to his run to become the oldest heavyweight champion ever, Foreman is next. Ali is ninth, and Frazier is tenth.
Therefore, on the Pay Per View front, as we know it today, there’s no doubting that Floyd Mayweather is the king.
TOP 10 PAY PER VIEW SALES
All-time / All Platforms
Muhammad Ali 162,944,000
Joe Frazier 100,500,000
George Foreman 52,000,000
Floyd Mayweather Jr. 29,090,000
Manny Pacquiao 22,214,000
Mike Tyson 20,700,000
Conor McGregor 18,400,000
Oscar De La Hoya 14,140,000
Anthony Joshua 13,441,000
Evander Holyfield 12,720,000
ALL-TIME PAY PER VIEW SALES
Exclusively Home Sales
Floyd Mayweather Jr. 28,867,000
Manny Pacquiao 22,041,000
Mike Tyson 19,780,000
Conor McGregor 18,400,000
Oscar De La Hoya 14,090,000
Anthony Joshua 13,441,000
Evander Holyfield 12,600,000
George Foreman 2,000,000
Muhammad Ali 790,000
Joe Frazier 500,000
