Boxers
Pernell Whitaker Net Worth
| Net Worth: | $250 Thousand |
|---|---|
| Born: | January 2, 1964 |
| Died: | July 14, 2019 |
| Country of Origin: | United States of America |
| Source of Wealth: | Professional Boxer |
| Last Updated: | Aug 11, 2026 |
Introduction
Pernell Whitaker was an American professional boxer with an estimated net worth of $250 Thousand.
During his boxing career, Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker became an Olympic gold medalist and a world champion in four divisions. He retired with a record of 40 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw.
This profile outlines our research into Pernell Whitaker’s net worth history, fight purses, and the severe financial issues he faced following retirement.
Quick Facts
- Earned more than $18 million during his career
- Single highest fight purse of $6 million against Oscar De La Hoya
- Suffered financial difficulties after retiring
Net Worth Details
Unfortunately, despite earning at least $18 million during his professional boxing career, Pernell Whitaker wound up broke. This was reportedly caused by poor financial decisions combined with numerous legal issues. When Whitaker passed away from a car accident in July 2019, he held an estimated net worth of $250,000.
Fight Earnings
| Year | Opponent | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Julio Cesar Chavez | $3,000,000 |
| 1993 | Buddy McGirt | $1,250,000 |
| 1994 | Buddy McGirt | $2,500,000 |
| 1995 | Julio Cesar Vasquez | $1,500,000 |
| 1995 | Gary Jacobs | $1,500,000 |
| 1997 | Oscar De La Hoya | $6,000,000 |
| 1999 | Felix Trinidad | $2,500,000 |
| 2001 | Carlos Borjorquez | $25,000 |
| Total Career Earnings: | $18,275,000 | |
In the later stages of his career, Pernell Whitaker was consistently earning seven figures per fight. In 1993, he fought twice, earning a combined $4.25 million. The first fight was his win over Buddy McGirt, securing him $1.25 million. The second fight was a $3 million payday against Julio Cesar Chavez. His 1994 rematch with Buddy McGirt earned him a purse twice the size of the previous one, at $2.5 million.
In 1995, Whitaker secured two $1.5 million fight purses for his victories over Julio Cesar Vasquez and Gary Jacobs. The most significant payday of Whitaker’s boxing career came in 1997, when he was guaranteed $6 million for a fight against Oscar De La Hoya. For comparison, De La Hoya reportedly earned $10 million.
For the final two fights of his career, both of which were losses, Pernell received $2.5 million against Felix Trinidad, and just a mere $25,000 against Carlos Borjorquez.
Financial & Legal Issues
Whitaker has faced severe financial and legal challenges after his boxing career ended in 2001, despite earning tens of millions of dollars in the ring.
By 2014, he had evicted his mother from the home he’d bought for her in 1984, citing financial difficulties and the need to sell the property. The house, located near the Botanical Garden in Norfolk, Virginia, was valued at approximately $370,000 at the time of its purchase. Whitaker sought to liquidate this asset to meet financial obligations, including $18,000 in unpaid real estate taxes.
Legal troubles have also significantly strained his finances over the years, and in 2002, he was charged with cocaine possession, leading to a 2003 conviction, resulting in hefty fines and mandatory community service. While the exact amount of the fines remains unclear, such cases typically result in penalties ranging into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
These incidents and legal challenges highlight the difficulties athletes like Whitaker face in managing their wealth and personal lives after retiring from professional sports. Such struggles often affect their long-term financial health and net worth, illustrating the complexities of transitioning out of the spotlight.
Real Estate
In addition to the house he gifted to his mother, Pernell Whitaker also owned a property in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He purchased the 8,478-square-foot, six-bedroom, five-bathroom home for $1.6 million in December 2003. Reports suggest that Whitaker still lived in the house at the time of his death in 2019.
More Professional Boxers:
Boxers
Lennox Lewis Net Worth
Lennox Lewis became the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion and earned a fortune from his skill and power in the ring.
| Net Worth: | $140 Million |
|---|---|
| Age: | 60 |
| Born: | September 2, 1965 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) |
| Country of Origin: | Canada |
| Source of Wealth: | Professional Boxer |
| Last Updated: | Aug 11, 2026 |
Introduction
Lennox Lewis is an American former professional boxer with an estimated net worth of $140 Million.
This profile covers our extensive research into Lennox Lewis’ net worth, fight purses, and other aspects of his finances.
Quick Facts
- Single highest payday of $34 million from the Mike Tyson fight
- Total fight purses of at least $108.4 million during his career
- Earned a combined $25 million from his two bouts with Evander Holyfield
- Vince McMahon, the head of World Wrestling Entertainment, reportedly offered Lewis £5 million in 2002 to enter the professional wrestling business.
Fight Earnings
| Year | Opponent | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Frank Bruno | $8,000,000 |
| 1995 | Tommy Morrison | $2,400,000 |
| 1997 | Henry Akinwande | $1,000,000 |
| 1997 | Andrew Golota | $4,000,000 |
| 1999 | Evander Holyfield | $10,000,000 |
| 1999 | Evander Holyfield II | $15,000,000 |
| 2000 | Michael Grant | $7,500,000 |
| 2000 | David Tua | $8,500,000 |
| 2001 | Hasim Rahman II | $11,000,000 |
| 2002 | Mike Tyson | $34,000,000 |
| 2003 | Vitali Klitschko | $7,000,000 |
| Total Career Earnings: | $108,400,000 | |
Lennox earned hundreds of millions of dollars throughout his career, primarily through guaranteed purses and, more significantly, PPV bonuses. Although his earnings are not as high as those of Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya, or even the legendary George Foreman, he still ranks among the greatest fighters of all time. The fights listed in the table above account for $108.4 million of Lewis’ total earnings, but they don’t include every one of his fights.
In 1993, Lennox Lewis received a fight purse of $8 million for his bout with Frank Bruno. Two years later, for his 1995 fight against Tommy Morrison, he earned $2.4 million. In 1997, Lewis earned a combined $5 million from two bouts. The first was against Henry Akinwande, in which Lennox received at least $1 million; however, the actual amount may be higher. The second bout was against Andrew Golota, reportedly earning Lewis $4 million.
Evander Holyfield Fight Earnings
In 1999, Lennox Lewis fought Evander Holyfield twice in the same year, earning the most considerable sums of his career. For their first bout, Lewis reportedly earned $10 million, while Holyfield earned double that amount, at $20 million. According to reports, both fighters earned $15 million each for the second bout, bringing Lennox’s total earnings to $25 million across both fights.
2000s Fight Purses
By the 2000s, Lennox Lewis was earning high seven-figure paychecks per fight. This includes his $7.5 million purse for his fight against Michael Grant and $8.5 million for his fight against David Tua, both of which took place in the first year of the decade. A year later, he received a purse of $11 million for his rematch against Hasim Rahman. Unfortunately, earnings for the duo’s first bout were never publicly disclosed. Before we discuss his earnings from his Tyson fight, let’s also quickly mention his $7 million purse for fighting Vitali Klitschko in 2003.
Mike Tyson Fight Earnings
Lewis’ fight with Mike Tyson in 2002 was the most lucrative bout of his career. The event sold 1.95 million PPV buys, grossing $106.9 million. Based on reports, 45% of this revenue ($48.1 million) was allocated to cable and satellite operators. The rest was shared between the two fighters, promoters, and networks. Both Lewis and Tyson were guaranteed $17.5 million upfront, and once PPV shares were considered, Lewis earned an estimated $34 million in total.
Some sources suggest he earned up to $50 million, but we believe they didn’t account for the promoters’ and networks’ shares of the PPV revenues. Finally, just because it’s worth mentioning, Tyson was fined $335,000 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for biting Lewis’ leg in the press conference… in classic Mike Tyson fashion.
How Does Lennox Lewis Spend His Money?
As you can imagine, as one of the world’s richest heavyweight boxers, Lennox Lewis has bought properties in America, Canada, and the UK. He owns more than seven luxury vehicles in his garage and has earned around $20 million over the last ten years as a boxing commentator.
Boxers
Mike Tyson Net Worth
| Net Worth: | $30 Million |
|---|---|
| Age: | 60 |
| Born: | June 30, 1966 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Country of Origin: | United States of America |
| Source of Wealth: | Professional Boxer |
| Last Updated: | Aug 11, 2026 |
Introduction
Mike Tyson is an American former professional boxer with an estimated net worth of $30 Million.
In this profile, we’ll discuss our extensive research into Mike Tyson’s net worth history, fight purses, and additional income sources. More importantly, we’ll review the extensive financial issues he faced, including extravagant spending and ultimately filing for bankruptcy.
Quick Facts
- Lifetime fight purses totaling at least $445 million
- Earned approximately $60 million from his two bouts with Evander Holyfield
- Spent $18 million in just three years after being released from prison
- Once spent $2 million on a golden bathtub for his wife
- Filed for bankruptcy in 2003
Net Worth History
Mike Tyson’s net worth was once estimated at as much as $300 million at the peak of his career, having earned well over $400 million from fights alone. However, he also spent it like water. We’ll discuss some of his most extravagant expenses later in the article, but they ultimately led to Tyson filing for bankruptcy in 2003.
Mike’s net worth dropped from $300 million to an estimated $3 million in the 2010s. Despite this, he’s made a comeback in recent years, earning not just from his two fights with Roy Jones Jr. and Jake Paul, but also through the Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson podcast. The two fights earned him an estimated $30 million. Although he donated his $10 million purse from the Jones fight to charity, the $20 million purse from the Paul fight helped Tyson recoup some of his net worth. Prior to the Jake Paul fight, Tyson was worth an estimated $10 million. As of 2025, Mike Tyson’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $30 Million.
Fight Earnings
| Year | Opponent | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Jesse Ferguson | $200,000 |
| 1986 | Mitch Green | $200,000 |
| 1986 | Mitch Green | $200,000 |
| 1986 | Trevor Berbick | $1,500,000 |
| 1987 | James Smith | $2,000,000 |
| 1987 | Pinklon Thomas | $2,500,000 |
| 1987 | Tony Tucker | $2,500,000 |
| 1987 | Tyrell Biggs | $2,500,000 |
| 1988 | Larry Holmes | $5,000,000 |
| 1988 | Tony Tubbs | $10,000,000 |
| 1988 | Michael Spinks | $20,000,000 |
| 1989 | Frank Bruno I | $8,000,000 |
| 1989 | Carl Williams | $4,000,000 |
| 1990 | Buster Douglas | $6,000,000 |
| 1990 | Henry Tillman | $2,000,000 |
| 1990 | Alex Stewart | $3,000,000 |
| 1991 | Donovan Ruddock I | $6,000,000 |
| 1993 | Donovan Ruddock II | $10,000,000 |
| 1995 | Peter McNeeley | $25,000,000 |
| 1995 | Buster Mathis | $10,000,000 |
| 1996 | Frank Bruno II | $30,000,000 |
| 1996 | Bruce Seldon | $30,000,000 |
| 1996 | Evander Holyfield I | $30,000,000 |
| 1997 | Evander Holyfield II | $30,000,000 |
| 1999 | Francois Botha | $10,000,000 |
| 1999 | Orlin Norris | $9,000,000 |
| 2000 | Julius Francis | $10,000,000 |
| 2000 | Lou Savarese | $8,000,000 |
| 2000 | Andrzej Golota | $10,000,000 |
| 2001 | Brian Nielsen | $5,000,000 |
| 2002 | Lennox Lewis | $103,000,000 |
| 2003 | Clifford Etienne | $5,000,000 |
| 2004 | Danny Williams | $8,000,000 |
| 2005 | Kevin McBride | $5,000,000 |
| 2020 | Roy Jones Jr | $10,000,000 |
| 2024 | Jake Paul | $20,000,000 |
| Total Career Earnings: | $443,600,000 | |
Throughout Mike Tyson’s professional boxing career, he secured at least $445 million in fight earnings. He fought a total of 57 times, accumulating a substantial amount of money in the process. While the table above shows his fight purses for 36 of those fights, many of his earnings between 1985 and 1986 aren’t included. It’s assumed that for 1986 at least, he earned roughly $200,000 per fight. This is because his earnings for three fights that year, against Jesse Ferguson and Mitch Green (twice), were all reportedly $200,000 per fight. Towards the end of the year, he earned $1.5 million for his fight against Trevor Berbick, which was shown on ESPN.
In 1987, Tyson fought four times, earning a combined $9.5 million. These bouts were covered under his eight-fight, $27 million contract with HBO. This included $2 million against James Smith, and $2.5 million apiece for his bouts against Pinklon Smith, Tony Tucker, and Tyrell Biggs.
Tyson’s earnings began increasing significantly in 1998, starting with his $5 million purse for his fight against Larry Holmes. He then earned $10 million against Tony Tubbs and an impressive $20 million against Michael Spinks.
Bruno, Holyfield & Ruddick Fight Purses
We grouped these three opponents together because they were the only three that Tyson fought twice. They account for $114 million of Mike’s career earnings.
Frank Bruno – $38 million
When Iron Mike first fought Frank Bruno in 1989, he earned approximately $8 million. For their 1996 rematch, he earned a whopping $30 million, bringing his total to a combined $38 million.
Donovan Ruddick – $16 million
In 1991, Tyson fought Donovan Ruddick, earning $6 million. Two years later, he earned an increased purse of $10 million, bringing the total to $16 million for the two bouts.
Evander Holyfield – $60 million
The fights against Evander Holyfield were the most controversial of his career, primarily due to Tyson biting Holyfield’s ear in the second bout. For each fight, Mike received a $30 million purse, totaling $60 million.
Significant Fight Purses
We’ve covered Tyson’s early career fight purses and his earnings from recurring opponents, so let’s take a look at the largest paydays of his career. In 1995, Tyson secured $25 million in his fight against Peter McNeeley and a $10 million purse against Buster Mathis. The following year, he earned an impressive $30 million for his win against Bruce Seldon.
Between 1999 and 2000, Mike received a combined $47 million from five fights, including three $10 million paydays against Francois Botha, Julius Francis, and Andrzej Golota. The remainder was generated by a $9 million purse against Orlin Norris and an $8 million purse against Lou Savarese.
However, none of these compares to his 2002 fight against Lennox Lewis. The fight was one of the highest-grossing events at the time, generating $106.9 million in PPV revenue. Tyson secured a guaranteed $17.5 million purse, but he also received additional income from PPV shares and sponsorships, which skyrocketed his total earnings to an estimated $103 million.
Extravagant Expenditure
Throughout his professional career, Tyson spent his wealth with ease, which led to significant financial hardships in the early 2000s. This included spending millions on luxury cars and mansions, as most athletes do. According to the bankruptcy filing, in just three years after his release from prison, he spent a reported $4.5 million on 19 vehicles that he purchased for his friends.
In that same period, he also spent millions on the following:
- Pigeons & tigers – $400,000
- Garden maintenance & lawn care – $300,000
- Phones, pagers, and related monthly bills – $230,000
- Animal trainer – $125,000/year
- Jewelry & Clothes – $100,000/month
- Random everyday purchases – $240,000/month
This, including the $4.5 million for vehicles, would amount to a total of just over $18 million over three years, but that’s only for the expenses listed in the filing.
Random Expenses
Beyond his typical expenses for gardening, animals, fashion, and vehicles, Tyson made several notable purchases totaling more than $100,000. He reportedly once spent $2 million on a golden bathtub for his then-wife, Robin Givens, but some sources suggest the actual amount was closer to $500,000. Tyson also spent $400,000 on a single birthday party, and his Bengal tigers cost $70,000 each.
Car Collection
While you may think $4.5 million for 19 vehicles is a lot of money, Tyson reportedly purchased over 100 cars throughout his life, including numerous Bentleys, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches, and Rolls-Royces. He once spent $1.5 million in a single day to purchase five Bentley Azures. Here’s a list of some of the vehicles Mike Tyson owned, and their respective MSRPs at the time:
| Vehicle Name | Retail Price |
|---|---|
| Ferrari F50 (1995) | ~$475,000 |
| Ferrari 456 GT Spyder | ~$224,000 |
| Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster | ~$240,000–$275,000 |
| Lamborghini Diablo VTTT | ~$500,000+ |
| Rolls-Royce Silver Spur | ~$145,000–$170,000 |
| Rolls-Royce Corniche | ~$250,000+ |
| Rolls-Royce Stretch Limousine | ~$300,000+ |
| Mercedes-Benz 560 SL (1989) | ~$64,000 |
| Mercedes-Benz 500 SL (1990) | ~$80,000–$90,000 |
| Bentley Continental SC | ~$300,000+ |
| Bentley Continental T | ~$324,000 |
| Jaguar XJ220 | ~$570,000 |
| 1985 Cadillac Eldorado | ~$20,000–$25,000 |
| Cadillac Seville | ~$21,000–$30,000 |
| Bentley Azure (x5) | ~$1,500,000 |
| Aston Martin Lagonda | ~$150,000+ |
| Totals: | $5,210,000 |
Boxers
Terence Crawford Net Worth
Terence Crawford won multiple world championship boxing titles, amassing a fortune from his exceptional talent.
| Net Worth: | $8 Million |
|---|---|
| Age: | 38 |
| Born: | September 28, 1987 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) |
| Country of Origin: | United States of America |
| Source of Wealth: | Professional Boxer |
| Last Updated: | Aug 11, 2026 |
Introduction
Terence Crawford is an American former professional boxer with an estimated net worth of $8 Million.
Net Worth History
When we first started tracking Terrence Crawford’s net worth in 2023, he was estimated to be worth $8 million. However, this estimate was made before his last three fights with Errol Spence, Israil Madrimov, and Canelo, which earned him at least $37.5 million in total. His actual earnings, in all likelihood, were much higher than this. As a result, recent estimates place Crawford’s net worth at approximately $8 Million at the time of writing.
Fight Purses
| Fight Date | Opponent | Purse |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 28, 2014 | Yuriorkis Gamboa | $521,932 |
| Nov 30, 2014 | Ray Beltran | $800,000 |
| Oct 24, 2015 | Dierry Jean | $1,226,824 |
| Feb 27, 2016 | Hank Lundy | $1,200,000 |
| Jul 23, 2016 | Viktor Postol | $1,300,000 |
| Dec 10, 2016 | John Molina Jr. | $1,504,955 |
| May 20, 2017 | Felix Diaz | $1,650,000 |
| Aug 19, 2017 | Julius Indongo | $2,000,000 |
| Jun 9, 2018 | Jeff Horn | $3,000,000 |
| Oct 13, 2018 | Jose Benevidez Jr | $3,625,000 |
| Apr 20, 2019 | Egidijus Kavaliauskas | $4,000,000 |
| Dec 14, 2019 | Amir Khan | $5,500,000 |
| Nov 14, 2020 | Kell Brook | $3,500,000 |
| Nov 20, 2021 | Shawn Porter | $6,000,000 |
| Dec 10, 2022 | David Avanesyan | $5,000,000 |
| Jul 29, 2023 | Errol Spence Jr. | $25,000,000 |
| Aug 3, 2024 | Israil Madrimov | $2,500,000 |
| Sep 13, 2025 | Canelo Alvarez | $10,000,000 |
| Total Earnings: | $78,328,711 | |
In a previous interview, which we’ll discuss shortly, Terence Crawford recounted his fight purses from the earliest years of his career. Crawford earned just $600 for his first professional boxing bout, which was actually less than he earned as an amateur. He also mentioned that it took him roughly twelve fights before he began earning $2,500 per fight. In other words, Bud’s first twelve pro bouts potentially earned him less than $20,000.
Top Rank Contract & Earnings
In the early 2010s, Bud Crawford signed a contract with the boxing promotion, Top Rank. Thanks to a 2019 lawsuit, we can see how much he earned from several of his fights under the promotion. The first of which was a $500,000 base purse for defending the WBO World Lightweight title against Yuriorkis Gamboa in June 2014. He also received an additional $21,931.60 from a share of the ticket sales. Later that year, he earned $800,000 for defending the title against Ray Beltran.
In October 2015, Crawford earned a total purse of $1,226,824 from his fight against Dierry Jean. The following year, he fought three times, all under the Top Rank promotion, earning $1.2 million against Hank Lundy, $1.3 million against Viktor Postol, and finally, just over $1.5 million against John Molina Jr. The last two fight purses disclosed in the lawsuit were $1.65 million against Felix Diaz in May 2017 and $2 million against Julius Indongo in August 2017.
Peak Career Fight Purses
Following on from the above, Crawford began earning significantly more money per fight. This includes guaranteed purses of $3.625 million against Jose Benevidez Jr. and $4 million against Egidijus Kavaliauskas from the promoter. From then on, Crawford typically earned at least $3.5 million per fight, with notable paydays of $5.5 million (base purse) in his 2019 bout with Amir Khan, and $6 million against Shawn Porter (2021).
The highest-disclosed purse of Bud Crawford’s career was his 2023 fight against Errol Spence Jr., in which he earned a total of $25 million. Technically, other fights could have earned him more, but this was his highest known purse.
As for his shocking upset decision win over Canelo Alvarez in September 2025, reports suggest Terrence earned a base purse of $10 million. His total earnings from the fight were never publicly disclosed, though some suggest it could have been as much as $30 million. Still, nothing has been confirmed, so we’ve only listed his base purse in our calculations.
How Crawford Spent His First $1 Million
In July 2023, Terence Crawford was interviewed by GQ for its My First Million series, which has previously featured numerous professional athletes. Some of the other fighters to be interviewed for the series include Canelo, Israel Adesanya, and Kamaru Usman. In the series, athletes describe how they spent their first million dollars; however, note that the term is used loosely. Some discuss their first $1 million in expenditures, which could have been spread over a long period. Others outline how they spent their first $1 million in earnings.
In Terence Crawford’s case, he appears to be talking about how he spent his earnings from 2015 and 2016, when he began earning more than $1 million per fight. With that in mind, here’s a breakdown of how Bud Crawford spent his first million dollars:
- Sister’s house – $260,000
- Second sister’s house – $250,000
- Four-bedroom home – $150,000
- Gym building – $100,000
- GMC Denali – $85,000
- Pickup truck – $80,000
- Grandma’s house – $80,000
Expenses Summary
Analyzing the above expenses, Crawford spent 84% ($840,000) of his first million dollars on real estate, of which $590,000 went toward his family’s homes. He bought each of his sisters a house and spent roughly $80,000 to help his Grandma remodel her home. Crawford then spent $150,000 on his home in Nebraska and $100,000 to buy the building that housed his gym. Terence and his team had initially been renting half the building, but when the landlord died, his wife sold the building to Crawford. This is currently the home of his B&B non-profit organization.
Lastly, Crawford spent the remaining 16% of the $1 million ($165,000) on two vehicles. This is a rather admirable account of his expenditure, as he didn’t start dropping tens of thousands of dollars on jewelry like most athletes. There’s no mention of his investments outside of real estate, but hopefully, they were just too boring for the video.
Legal Issues & Controversy
Crawford has been involved in several controversies during his career, including in 2016, when he was arrested in Omaha, Nebraska, for disorderly conduct and trespassing. However, the charges were later dropped, and in 2020, a public altercation occurred between Crawford and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum. Crawford felt disrespected by the lack of promotion for his fight, but the situation was later resolved.
Crawford is also known for his trash-talking and charismatic personality, which have helped build his reputation as one of boxing’s biggest stars today. He is recognized for his philanthropy and charitable work, including numerous initiatives that support underprivileged children and young athletes in his hometown of Omaha.
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