Top MMA journo Ariel Helwani recently compared the financial prospects of the trilogy bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway with that of the recently concluded Devin Haney vs. George Kambosos Jr. fight.
In a recent post on Twitter, he argued that although the scrap between Volkanovski and Holloway would most certainly prove to be more lucrative, the fighters would earn nowhere near what Haney and Kambosos Jr. did for their fight at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, this past weekend.
Helwani tweeted:
"Volk x Holloway 3 would draw more and generate more at Marvel Stadium than GK [George Kambosos]/Haney, and that’s a shoot. No question in mind. They also wouldn’t earn 1/4 combined (being kind) what the boxers made on Saturday, and that’s a real shame."
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Devin Haney outboxed George Kambosos Jr. over the course of twelve rounds, coming away with a unanimous decision victory to become the undisputed lightweight champion.
Despite coming up short, Kambosos Jr. walked away with a whopping $10 million guaranteed fight purse. Haney, on the other hand, was presented with a cheque of $2.8 million for his performance.
Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway last featured inside the octagon together in the co-main event at UFC 251. After recording a split decision win, 'The Great' walked away with $390,000, while the challenger took home $310,000, per Sportekz.
Volkanovski has emerged as the most popular Australian fighter on the UFC roster since putting together a scintillating run atop the featherweight division. He will look to defend his title for the fourth time when he squares off against Holloway in their trilogy bout at UFC 276 next month.
Alexander Volkanovski is looking to end his rivalry with Max Holloway
Alexander Volkanovski is currently hurtling towards what could mark the final edition of his rivalry with Max Holloway. The fight is set to take place at UFC 276 on July 2 and the action is scheduled to unfold at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
'The Great' enters this fight holding the upper hand, having beaten Holloway twice already. In addition to Volkanovski's split decision win against 'Blessed' at UFC 251, the duo went toe-to-toe in the co-main event at UFC 245 back in December 2019. On that occasion, Volkanovski beat Holloway via unanimous decision to win the belt.
A third win over Holloway will further cement Volkanovski's status as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, and could open up the possibility of more lucrative opportunities down the line.