Your interest in boxing may go deeper than just fitness. You may want to become a professional boxer which is a good career path to pursue. Like any other profession, you have to start at the bottom and rise to the top. With passion and determination, nothing can stand in your way.
Pro-boxers earn differently from many other careers. They don’t get a monthly salary so if you’re hoping for that, then maybe professional boxing is not for you. They earn a purse for every fight they participate in. Each fight is categorized differently. Your coach must negotiate an appropriate purse for you before the match/bout takes place.
The payment negotiated may range from a few hundred dollars to millions depending on the popularity of the fight and even the companies willing to sponsor it. The total amount you’ll earn in a year depends on the number of fights you take part in and the size of each payout you receive. When you get injured, it may affect your earning powers too especially if your earning are on the ring only.
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Professional Boxing
To become a professional boxer, you must pass through the amateur level first. When you reach the pro level, you get to compete for titles and belts with the top in the sport. Taking part in a fight in front of fans is only part of what makes you a professional boxer. There are numerous titles in-country and across the world that you can take part in as a professional boxer to earn more income. Boxing can be a very lucrative career path.
You have to build a firm career path during your amateur years with over 150 bouts under your belt to be ready for professional boxing. There are many tournaments that you can participate in to upgrade your skills and create a reputation for yourself too. Participating in these tournaments will help you evaluate whether you qualify to go pro or not.
As a professional boxer, your training program will be on another level. The way you train and treat your body will completely change to take good care of it. From what you eat, how you manage stress, how and when you sleep, and even your social life, all aspects of your life will be greatly affected once you go pro.
Educational Background of a Professional Boxer
Like any other career, there are certain qualifications you must meet to become a professional boxer. You just can’t wake up one day and go pro! You must have a certain number of amateur level bouts under your belt and a good reputation to go with that. This will help you catch the attention of a manager and go pro. Take part in tournaments like the Golden Gloves of America to improve your skills and get noticed.
Ensure you get the proper documentation from your local State Sports Commission to take part in tournaments. To be licensed, you have to go through a rigorous test to pass the requirements. You’ll undergo psychological and medical tests together with a clean record of good sportsmanship to qualify. It simply boils down to are you physically and mentally able to take part in professional boxing?
It’ll take a lot of time to earn a good living from professional boxing. You have to put in a lot of hours and may still end up earning less than $60000 annually for a long time. Many of the big prizes fall in the hands of a few fighters who are at the top of the game like Floyd Mayweather who can easily earn millions in one fight.
How Professional Boxers Earn their Money
There are several ways a professional boxer can earn a living from boxing other than competition earning alone. Pulling together different sources of income can boost your annual earnings tremendously.
1. Participating in Championships/Tournaments
The main way to earn as a boxer is to take part in different bouts throughout the year. Whether you win or lose, you get to share a portion of the fight purse at the end of the match. Each fight purse is different depending on what was negotiated before the match. The fight purse is filled by a promoter or different promoters who organized the event. The amount you get at the end of the day depends on the % your manager negotiated for you.
The problem with the fight purse is, you don’t get to carry home all the earnings of your share. There are certain expenses you have to cover like taxes, manager’s fees, and trainer’s fees too. Keep in mind travel expenses, food, insurance, and accommodation will come from your pocket. You end up taking home less than you’d hope.
2. Sponsorship Opportunities
To boost your annual income, you can pursue certain brands as a brand ambassador or seek out a sponsorship deal. You’ll notice boxers in an event wearing items with certain brand names and logos on them. This is to advertise for the brand that is sponsoring them. It’ll take time to get noticed by big brands and have big deals under your belt. Start small with local brands around you and build a reputation for yourself.
With every brand you are a part of, you’ll get a reward in terms of money for advertising it. This greatly boosts your annual income especially if your contract is long term. You have to keep in mind the rules of the deal and not stray from them otherwise you may end up losing it altogether.
3. Merchandizing
You can decide to have merchandise like T-shirts and caps with your face or initials or catchphrase labeled on them. This is a good way to earn more income through boxing especially if you have a large following. Many boxers are now more involved in social media building a huge following.
These loyal fans but most of what you’re selling booting your annual income. You may have noticed fighters always wearing their branded clothes while on interviews or meeting fans, this is a way to advertise their wares.
Beginner Boxer Salary
As a beginner, you start at the very bottom. As a professional boxer, you can earn less than $25000 annually but this amount varies from one boxer to the other. You may all be in the same weight class but one boxer can earn a higher amount than another at the beginner level. This salary range may not change because many boxers retire early in their careers due to the toll boxing takes on their bodies. It’ll take all you’ve got to keep going and that too may not be enough.
Conclusion
The good thing about boxing is, no matter if you lose or win in fight, you still get the amount that was negotiated before. The amount may considerably drop due to the expenses incurred, but you get it all as agreed. This is why getting a good coach/manager to help you negotiate a better amount is important. Start pursuing the attention of good ones early on in your career.
Boxing is a thrilling sport and you can become a professional if you put in the work. There is a lot of training involved and sacrifices too that you have to be willing to make. It takes time to transition from an amateur to a professional. Take part in as many bouts annually as you can to increase your earnings.