Why Mike Tyson hits out at UFC for failing to pay stars like Conor McGregor the same as boxers

It's exciting and, but they don't make enough money': Mike Tyson hits out at UFC for failing to pay stars like Conor McGregor the same as boxers... after Irishman made almost £100m for Floyd Mayweather fight compared to just £3.8m for MMA comeback

One of the biggest stars in UFC history Conor McGregor pocketed a company record £3.8m for his win against Donald Cerrone in January, whilst Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder earned £19.4m each for their heavyweight boxing contest a month later.

McGregor's highest ever sum received for a fight was when he switched to boxing - his fight against Floyd Mayweather earned him nearly £100m - and former heavyweight world champion Tyson says he can't quite put his finger on why there is financial disparity between the two sports.

MMA will always have more views and stuff than boxing, but boxers will always make more money than MMA fighters,' Tyson told podcaster Brant James.


When asked why that is the case, the 54-year-old added: 'That's tricky, it doesn't make any sense.

'I don't know, they don't make enough money in my perspective. It's exciting and, but [UFC fighters] don't make enough money.'

The figures would back that up, with McGregor earning £2.3m for his loss against Khabib Nurmagomedov, in one of the biggest fights in UFC history.