By Jake Donovan

While the exact Pay-Per-View figures are still being disputed, what can be confirmed is Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’ continued rise as a leading attraction at the box-office.

The reigning World middleweight champion officially christened the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, scoring a scintillating one-punch 6th round knockout of Amir Khan in the first ever boxing event at the newly erected venue. The May 7 show generated a box office take of $7,417,350, according to official records filed with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Roughly 3,500 complimentary tickets were issued among the announced crowd of 16,500 in attendance. The Nevada commission confirmed to BoxingScene.com that 13,072 tickets were sold, leaving an average of $567.42 per ticket.

Even under the assumption that Alvarez and Khan stood to earn more than the combined $5.5 million purse amounts reported, the box office take leaves the event as a major win on its own. Coupled with event sponsorship, closed circuit sales (which have yet to be reported) and PPV revenue, there is plenty to pass around among the staff at Golden Boy Promotions, HBO and others financially involved in the event.

The event outperformed the most recent notable boxing show in town. Alvarez-Khan sold slightly more tickets than was the case for the April 9 rubber match between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, but with the May 7 live gate generating over $1 million in gross receipts while costing significantly less to put together.

Alvarez now owns three of the 35 best-selling boxing events to take place in Las Vegas, all coming within his past five headlining appearances in town. His Sept. ’13 points loss to Floyd Mayweather – the lone defeat of Alvarez’ career – initially established an industry record both at the box office and in PPV sales, until surpassed by Maywather-Pacquiao, which sent financial benchmarks that will likely never be touched any time soon, if ever at all.

His second entry on the all-time Vegas list came last November, when he outpointed Miguel Cotto to become the first ever Mexico-born boxer to win the World (lineal) middleweight championship. The historic feat generated nearly $12.5 million in ticket sales, good for 13th best-selling boxing event in Las Vegas.

The $7.4 million-plus tally that came with the Khan fight ranks 34th on that same list, edging out then-unbeaten Felix Trinidad’s March ’00 154-pound title winning effort over David Reid.

Alvarez (47-1-1, 33KOs) also served in supporting capacity to a pair of events that rank among the Top 20 on that same list.

His Las Vegas debut came in May ’10, scoring a 9th round knockout of Jose Miguel Cotto – Miguel’s older brother – in the co-feature attraction to Mayweather’s 12-round nod over Shane Mosley, which ranks 17th on the list with just over $11 million in gate receipts.

Two years later on the very same weekend honoring Cinco de Mayo, Alvarez scored his own win over Mosley, coming in chief support to Mayweather’s decision win over Cotto, the 14th best-selling Vegas event at just over $12 million at the box office.

The next fight in queue for Alvarez is still under discussion.

The brass at Golden Boy Promotions and K2 Promotions are currently in negotiation to hammer out terms for a mouthwatering middleweight showdown between Alvarez and unbeaten, unified titlist Gennady Golovkin. The two camps have 15 days from May 9 to come to terms, or else will be subject to a purse bid hearing which will take place May 24 at World Boxing Council (WBC) headquarters in Mexico City.

Various locations have been floated for such an event, including Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and of course Las Vegas.

Golovkin (35-0, 32KOs) has established himself as a major draw in New York City and the greater Los Angeles area. The Kazakhstani knockout artist has yet to fight as a pro in Texas or Las Vegas, with both locations on his radar.

It could come as soon as his next fight, regardless of how negotiations pan out for Alvarez-Golovkin. Should the dream fight come to fruition and in either location, it will come with Alvarez’ imprint as an established box office draw, to which the boxing world was reminded - without dispute - in his most recent ring appearance.

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Follow his shiny new Twitter account: @JakeNDaBox_v2