Former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is set to pocket more than double Daniel Dubois’ earnings for their IBF heavyweight showdown at Wembley on Saturday, despite suffering a knockout loss in the fifth round.
According to a report by Sporty Salaries via GB News, Joshua was guaranteed £6m just for showing up, with potential earnings rising to £25m depending on pay-per-view.
Dubois, who upset the odds to knock out Joshua, is reported to have a guaranteed purse of £3.5m, which could rise to £10m.
The 34-year-old Joshua’s higher earnings are attributed to the attention he commanded for the fight, despite losing to his fellow Brit.
Following his fourth career defeat, Joshua has vowed to continue fighting amid calls for his retirement.
In a video posted on his Instagram account on Monday, he said, “We came up short, but we have got to look at all the positives, and that’s the mindset that we have to have—a positive one, always.
“Look at what we’ve achieved in the space of 11 years, and I want to thank every one of you that’s been riding with me. What a rollercoaster journey! But you know what the problem is, is that it’s far from over yet.”
Dubois’ victory has propelled him to the top of the heavyweight division, potentially setting up future fights with Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk. A rematch with Joshua is also a possibility.
The fight reportedly drew a record crowd for a British boxing match, with Turki Alalshikh claiming an attendance of “more than 98,128” fans.
