There’s no shortage of bravado and machismo in boxing… although it’s usually the two fighters that are flexing their muscles.
But ahead of Oleksandr Usyk’s undisputed heavyweight clash with Daniel Dubois on Saturday, it was another pound-for-pound great – Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez – that was flexing his bank balance.
The Mexican placed a wager of $500,000 (£369,000) on Usyk to win the fight by any means, to which Dubois replied with a rather curt: “It don’t mean nothing me. He’s going to lose his money.”
It would take a brave man to do the opposite – bet against Usyk, whose place in boxing’s hall of fame is assured, and so it would prove on Saturday night in London.
In the Money
“Over the past five years, Usyk has beaten the best, including Joshua and Fury. Oleksandr has very strong stamina; he’s very technical and smart. His maturity in sports helps him mobilize under pressure,” Canelo theorised in a live stream for the offshore betting firm 1win.
“When I see someone with that kind of focus, I back them. That’s why I placed a big bet on his victory. Oleksandr, you do you.”
Usyk very much did him at Wembley Stadium, ducking and weaving beyond Dubois’ lengthy jab before firing off some punishment of his own.
The Ukrainian landed a series of stiff left hands on the home favourite in the second round, before Dubois upped his work rate in the third and seemingly got something of a foothold in the contest.
But Usyk completed dominated the fourth stanza before moving in for the kill in the fifth, twice dropping Dubois to the canvas with dizzying combinations.
The end came via a devastating left hook, which somehow Dubois managed to recover from sufficiently to make the referee’s count. But his corner had already thrown in the towel – saving their man from any more punishment.
Usyk and his team celebrated in the middle of the ring and Canelo, wherever he was watching on from, no doubt punched the air too – his wager had landed for a total return of $630,000 (£465,000), with £96,000 of that pure profit.
Not bad for a night’s work in which you yourself didn’t have to be punched in the face!
Canelo joins the ranks of the ‘celebrities’, for want of a better term, that have landed big bet wins over the years…
Money Comes to Money
Floyd Mayweather was one of the richest boxers on the planet at the height of his career, with his purses and PPV takings ensuring he was a millionaire many times over.
Even after he hung up his gloves, Mayweather – nicknamed ‘Money’ – has continued to splash the cash, showing something of an eye for big bets.
This is what I’ve been hearing for 23 years… “All Mayweather does is brag about his cars, his jewelry, his mansions, his ladies, his clothes and his money “. And this is what Mayweather says back… https://t.co/5RY2bHWDHk pic.twitter.com/qoH43Xs3jP
— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) July 4, 2019
And in September and October of 2024, he went on an almighty heater with his NFL wagering – banking around $4.7 million (£3.5 million) in just a matter of weeks.
The Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals and the Denver Broncos all contributed wins to Mayweather’s remarkable hot streak.
Mickelson’s Bowled Over
Much has been written about golf legend Phil Mickelson’s betting losses over the years, which according to some sources amount to more than $1 billion (£740 million).
But every dog has its day, and at the 2001 Super Bowl, Mickelson landed a bumper payday to match his exploits out on the course.
He had backed the Baltimore Ravens to win the Super Bowl in the pre-season outright market, and watched on with relish as they made it through to Super Sunday against the New York Giants.
And it wouldn’t be long before Mickelson was celebrating as the Ravens dominated, comfortably winning each quarter to run out 34-7 winners.
Having wagered $20,000 at 22/1, ‘Lefty’ managed to bank $440,000 (£325,000) for his troubles.
50 Cent Quids In
With a name like 50 Cent, you’d think that Curtis Jackson – the man behind the moniker – would be a small stakes punter.
But quite the opposite, in fact. Jackson wagered an astonishing $1 million on an NFL game back in 2012, backing the New York Giants to defeat the San Francisco 49ers at odds of just shy of 1/2.
The NFC Championship contest was a high stakes affair for both teams, and 50 Cent would have been feeling the nerves as the 49ers went into a 7-0 first quarter lead.
The Giants bounced back in the second to lead 10-7, but the third stanza was almost a carbon copy of the first – the 49ers edging into supremacy at 14-10.
A fraught final passage led to a final score of 17-17… overtime would be required to split the sides.
Eventually, the Giants’ Lawrence Tynes delivered the pivotal field goal, sparking huge celebrations in the New York camp… and for Jackson, no doubt, who had landed £406,000 in clear profit on his selection.