Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Says 2017 Canelo Fight Paid Him $12 Million

ASFN Admin · Apr 19, 2026

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Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is revisiting one of the most lucrative nights of his boxing career.

Speaking on the Los Reyes podcast in an episode released April 10, the former middleweight champion claimed he earned a total of $12 million for his 2017 fight against Saúl “Canelo” Alvarez, despite losing every round on the scorecards.

Chavez Jr. said the payday was split between a guaranteed purse and a share of the fight’s pay-per-view success, for a grand total of $12 million.

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“They paid me $6 million guaranteed,” he said. “Then they gave me another $6 million from the pay-per-view buys. I made $12 million.”

The May 6, 2017, fight at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was one of the most anticipated all-Mexican matchups in recent memory. Alvarez won by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the bout 120-108.

Chavez Jr. landed just 71 punches over 12 rounds, while Alvarez connected 228 times in a one-sided performance.

Even with the lopsided loss, Chavez Jr. described the Canelo fight as the biggest purse of his career, prior to his follow-up fight with Jake Paul.

But he said much of the money disappeared quickly once taxes, management fees, and other expenses were deducted. “After my manager’s cut and taxes, I was left with around $7 million,” he said. “But after everything else, I only had about $2 million left.”

Chavez Jr. also reflected on the negotiations that led to the fight. He said Alvarez’s team pushed for a catchweight that forced him to slim down more than usual, which he believes affected his performance in the ring. Chavez Jr. said he believes the agreed-upon catchweight physically hurt him.

“Because I was so dehydrated, honestly, Canelo was beating me to every punch,” he said.

At the same time, Chavez Jr. was careful to praise Alvarez’s ability. During the interview, he described the undisputed super middleweight champion as “a great boxer, very intelligent in the ring.”

He added that Alvarez belongs among the best Mexican fighters ever, even if some critics still question how his career was managed.