Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois faced off for the second time in a highly anticipated rematch at Wembley Stadium. After previously defeating the Brit in Poland back in 2023, Usyk delivered an even more dominant performance this time around, securing a fifth-round knockout victory. While the short 13.51-minute bout was already a spectacle in itself, that’s not only why the community finds itself intrigued. One particular discussion between Joe Rogan, Israel Adesanya, and Alexander Volkanovski from before the fight seems to have caught everybody by surprise instead.

Shortly after the Ukrainian preserved his unbeaten 24-0-0 (15 TKOs) record, and reclaimed the IBF title next to his WBC, WBO and WBA (Super) belts, Instagram page mma.snippets shared a throwback video. Captioned with a single crying-laughing emoji, the video showed a candid moment between Rogan, Adesanya and Volkanovski, where the UFC color commentator and podcaster asked, “Did you see the numbers that Usyk and Dubois are getting?”

Visibly shocked, he pulls out his phone to show them the staggering payout figures. “132 and 71! Look at the numbers, $132 million and $71 million,” he exclaims. “That’s crazy numbers for purses…”

Notably, these figures were corroborated by The Baltimore Chronicle, which reported that Usyk would earn an eye-popping $132.28 million (£98.35m) from the Dubois rematch, leaving Dubois with a hefty $71.22 million (£52.95m) from their combined $203.5 million (£151.3m) purse. For context, Usyk and Tyson Fury reportedly split a £115 million purse for their first fight, with their rematch reaching an even more jaw-dropping £150 million. 

Dubois, meanwhile, made £10 million in his all-British bout with Anthony Joshua late last year—an enormous leap from the £1.5 million he earned in his first fight with Usyk. Of course, official purse numbers are rarely confirmed by promoters or fighters, but there’s little doubt that both Usyk and Dubois walked away with massive paydays, driven by the hype surrounding their rematch.

Interestingly, there was big money on the betting side too. Canelo Alvarez reportedly placed a $500,000 bet on Usyk to beat Dubois—and the bet paid off.

Regardless, when UFC fans found out about the numbers from Usyk vs. Dubois 2 after the fight, when MMA Snippets reshared the clip again, they were livid and disgusted. 

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois payout sparks debate

Well, the debate surrounding fighter pay disparity isn’t something new—fans have been criticizing the UFC and Dana White for a while now. Usyk and Dubois’ paychecks seem to have just reignited those conversations. “Dana about to call Joe after he sees this,” one user wrote, adding, “That’s what Dana makes every fight and then gives his best fighters 800k.” UFC fighters have limited options if they’re dissatisfied with their pay. There’s no comparable rival promotion with similar reach, financial stability, or prestige, making it difficult for fighters to negotiate better contracts or leave for another organization.

Meanwhile, this user blamed the UFC fighters themselves for low pay. “UFC fighters are so comically underpaid and completely okay with it,” the user wrote. However, it’s important to note that not all boxers enjoy the kind of payday Usyk and Dubois did. In reality, most fighters in the sport struggle to make ends meet, with many holding second jobs to support their careers. Only a select few at the very top of the food chain earn those massive purses.

Another user felt Israel Adesanya looked visibly disgusted by the numbers. “Izzy genuinely looked disgusted,” the user commented. Well, he must be since his biggest fight purse was $3.18 million for his fight against Alex Pereira at UFC 287 on April 9, 2023. And that includes base salary, pay-per-view, and Performance of the Night bonus. Meanwhile, Usyk and Dubois made $203.5 million from their guaranteed purse alone. 

The next user was left baffled by the payouts. “How? Everyone watches UFC, nobody watches boxing lol,” the user wrote. However, several sources have reported that a sold-out crowd of 90,000 fans attended the fight at Wembley Stadium. Not to forget, boxing is much bigger in the UK, which was bolstered by the idea that a Brit could become an undisputed heavyweight champion for the first time since Lennox Lewis in 1999. 

Someone else came up with an idea to reduce the pay gap between UFC and boxing. “Dana needs to get that oil money behind the UFC!!!!!!” the user wrote. However, the UFC and Turki Alalshikh have collaborated on several occasions, primarily through Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA), focusing on integrating UFC events into the Riyadh Season. 

Needless to say, UFC fans, Adesanya and Joe Rogan, for that matter, were in complete disbelief of the money Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois made from the fight. With Dana White leading the charge for the Zuffa Boxing league, the day isn’t far away when even boxers make headlines for UFC-like payouts. What do you think about Usyk and Dubois’ paychecks?