Rafael Espinoza defied the odds when he dethroned Robeisy Ramirez and took home the WBO featherweight title last December. He’ll be looking to avoid falling victim to a similar Cinderella story when he takes on Sergio Chirino Sanchez on Friday night. While Sanchez plots an upset against the biggest upset-maker of 2023 himself, let’s take a look at the Espinoza vs Sanchez purse details.
Espinoza vs Sanchez Purse: Will the Challenger Cash In Big?
Rafael Espinoza was riding high on a 22-match winning streak when he decided to lock horns with Ramirez for the WBO featherweight crown.
Despite his undefeated record, El Divino entered the ring as the underdog due to his lack of high-profile encounters before challenging a titleholder. Espinoza, however, was determined to show the world that is capable of punching well above his weight.
Espinoza started strong against the two-time Olympics hero. But Ramirez landed a devastating right hook in the fifth, sending Espinoza to the canvas. Though wobbly, he survived the round. Ramirez dominated later, but Espinoza fought back bravely.
In a final-minute flurry, Espinoza dropped Ramirez to a knee, stealing the round and likely the fight (scores: 115-111, 114-112, 113-113). This comeback secured Espinoza a close majority decision, the world title, and immense respect, which ultimately led to a Top Rank contract.
Similar to Espinoza, Sanchez’s record of 22-1 (13 KOs) loses its luster when you examine the caliber of his opponents. His 22 victories were against fighters with a combined record of 166-114-18.
Sanchez’s toughest foe was Mauricio Lara, who delivered his only loss via TKO in 2018 (Lara later became a world title contender). In his last fight this February, Chirino secured a TKO3 win over Dennis Contreras, a veteran with recognizable names on his list of previous fights.
On paper, Sanchez may not seem like a substantial threat to Espinoza’s reign. However, the Guadalajara fighter will be well aware of the perils of underestimating an opponent with a lesser-known record.
Boxing Fighter Payouts: Espinoza vs Sanchez
It comes as no surprise that the Espinoza vs Sanchez purse will not rank among one of the most lucrative ones in 2024.
Espinoza’s newfound fame hasn’t yet translated into a massive fanbase. While this fight promises to be an intriguing one, it’s not showing extraordinary promise in terms of commercial appeal.
Even though the official figures were never disclosed, we understand that Espinoza received a relatively modest paycheck for his successful title challenge against Ramirez.
This time around, the 30-year-old will be in a better position to negotiate more lucrative terms.
He will draw the larger split of the Espinoza vs Sanchez payout. Sanchez will be more happy with his title shot, rather than the boxing fighter pay prospect of this fight. A win against his compatriot will open the doors to more lucrative paydays for the Mexican in the future.
All things considered, the overall Espinoza vs Sanchez prize money should be around $200k.
Our estimation says Espinoza will pocket $160k, while Sanchez will bank approximately $40k
Bren Gray is our resident Kiwi, and has been writing about sports since he could first string words together. He first fell in love with boxing when David Tua took on Lennox Lewis in 2000, and hasn't looked back since.
