Boxer reveals difference in earnings he pocketed in sparring sessions with Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez

13/09/2024 20:54

Jack Catterall has sparred Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez, but earned different fees for each set of rounds.

Mayweather and Alvarez are two of the sport’s biggest stars who have stepped into the boxing ring with some formidable names during their careers including each other in 2013.

Many fighters have been drafted into their gyms over their respective years at the peak of their powers, to prepare for some of the biggest nights in recent history.

One of those is British talent Catterall who has shared training rounds with both during his career.

And he has given a unique insight into exactly how much he was paid by Mayweather to do battle in sparring sessions with each great champion.

"It was the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, I sparred Floyd first, summer 2015, my first proper training camp abroad,” he told Dave Allen.

“The deal was fly over, spar, if he wants to keep you on he will. We paid for the flights and the travel. I was going out for that experience and to test myself.

“The deal was you turn up to the gym Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 3pm. He had probably ten sparring partners hitting the bag. He'd roll up half three, four, sometimes five o'clock.

“It's not ideal but you're on wages, hitting the bag, waiting about. He'd pick who he wanted for that day. I was sparring there for eight weeks. It was $2,500 [£1.9k] a week.”

Catterall shared rounds with Mayweather before his win over Pacquiao in 2015, arguably the most famous fight since the late 90’s.

It was a great period of development for the Briton, who also sparred Alvarez before his win over James Kirkland in 2015.

He continued: “They paid [Canelo’s team] for our flight back and forth.

“The deal sparring was Monday, Wednesday, Friday in his gym, in his house in the mountains. I knew I wanted to practice and get better.

“His coach came over and said he wants to use you for speed and movement. I got a few instructions and he sparred eight four-minute rounds, the last four with me.

“I found he was very respectful. He was slipping and rolling. I got paid less than Mayweather. It was $1,750 [£1.3k] for two weeks including flights and we got 50 extra dollars [£38] a day."

Catterall gave his verdict on the sparring comparing them directly, concluding: “The first day I turned up, got picked and sparred him. Sparring Canelo, I felt miles out of my depth.

“But with Floyd, he's come out and I caught him with a lead right hook, then it was game on and he started pressing and walking forward, but there was times I was having lots of success."

Mayweather achieved it all in his career and is ranked as one of the greatest of all-time having up his gloves in 2017 with a perfect 50-0 professional record.

Alvarez is continuing to craft his legacy in the ring, but has achieved it all having won multiple world titles in four weight classes.

He has some potential huge events to come before he calls it a day, and is an established part of the pound-for-pound pack.