Mike Tyson Fight Purse History: $105M (Lennox Lewis), $35M (Bruce Sheldon), and Other Biggest Earnings of His Illustrious Boxing Career

Mike Tyson achieved everything in his illustrious culture, as he continued flatlining his opponents, first in his amateur career days and then when he turned professional. The American touched the soaring heights of fame when he became the youngest heavyweight champion in 1986. With chart-bursting popularity, he also picked up heavy suitcases of money for showing up and putting on a show for the fans.

It all continued till 2005, when Tyson, now 58, donned professional boxing gloves. But the signs of troubles were also visible, and the boxing world became witness to those when he filed for bankruptcy in 2003. His out-of-the-ring antics and a string of wrong decisions plunged him into $23 million in debt when he retired. However, 'Iron Mike' has since made a financial recovery, much like his boxing bouts.

How much has Mike Tyson earned in his boxing career? According to Celebrity Net Worth, Tyson has a current net worth of $10 million. The former world champion has diversified his basket of revenue and now largely derives his income from his TYSON 2.0 brand, his podcast, Hotboxin', and his exhibition fight with Roy Jones J r . In addition, he continues to expand his business footprint, as he recently invested in a plant-based fast-food chain, Mr. Charlie's Told Me So. But these figures don't come closer to what he had earned inside the boxing ring, pulling his heavy punches and unleashing his power.

However, if only the Brooklyn native's fight purse is to be calculated, it would have been over $500 million, as per The Sun. The biggest fight purse of his career came against Lenox Lewis in 2002, when he pocketed $105 million for showing up and challenging for the unified titles in the heavyweight division. Next in line is his last successful championship night, as he took on Bruce Seldon and defended his WBA titles. For putting his WBA title on the line, he collected $35 million. Following this, 'The Baddest Man On Planet' fought Evander Holyfield in two successive matches and took home a combined $60 million, a $30 million a piece for each outing.

Interestingly, it is the same $30 million price tag that was put on him when he fought Donovan Ruddock in 1991 before going behind bars, and he picked up the same $30 million bag when he returned to the boxing ring in 1995 against Peter McNeeley. But the latter contest ended up a no-contest due to Tyson missing a drug test. It also suggested his undying popularity with the same, as even after an absence of 4 years from the ring, he could mint the same money. A similar payout continued in his final two fights.

The 50-6 record holder added $27 million to his bank account in 2004, as he took on Danny Williams and tried to manage his financial foes. He would again fight the next year against Kevin McBride in 2005, and the matchmakers would credit him $30 million for his endeavor. But a loss in both of these fights also ensured the once-illustrious career of Tyson had come to an end. At least that's what we had thought, as Tyson again makes his return to professional boxing as he takes on Jake Paul on November 15.

Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight purse When Tyson walks into the boxing ring, his mind would be on racking up a win and not picking up bundles of money. The two-time world champion's TYSON 2.0 made revenues north of $150 million last year. While there is no official announcement or release from the promoters or stakeholders about Tyson's pay for the fight with 'Problem Child', the boxing experts pin the number somewhere close to $20 million. This is a significant boost from the $10 million he received from his exhibition fight with Jones Jr.

For Paul, 27, the number is almost double, as he once indirectly left a clue. During one of the press conferences, Paul, at 10-1, had declared, "I'm here to make $40 million and knock out a legend." There is no official confirmation for the numbers. But you can expect to earn even more than these, as it will shatter live-streaming records when it starts its broadcast from Netflix.

What do you make of these details surrounding Mike Tyson and his professional career's payouts? Let us know in the comments below.