By Jake Donovan

While the totals are still being tallied for the number of pay-per-view units, confirmation was offered by the Nevada State Athletic Comission of Floyd Mayweather’s majority decision win over Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez offering the most lucrative live gate in boxing history.

The September 14 headliner at the MGM Grand sold out in less than a day, generating a record–breaking $20,003,150 in ticket sales. There wasn’t a single ticket left at the box office, as 16,146 were sold at face value (and a large number resold at well above those amounts) and a mere 50 complimentary tickets issued.

The mark shatters the old record, also shared by Mayweather when his May ’07 split decision win over Oscar de la Hoya generated more than $19 million in ticket sales.

Mayweather ran his record to 45-0 (26KO) with a dominant performance over the previously unbeaten Alvarez, who entered as a unified 154 lb. titlist. The bout marked the third time in many tries that Mayweather has moved up to 154 lb. and won a title, despite having never lost any belt in the ring. Previous wins over Oscar de la Hoya and Miguel Cotto earned separate alphabet titles, though both were removed from his grasp after electing to fight at welterweight in his next fight each time out.

No word has been given on what Mayweather’s next move will be, other than the pound-for-pound king claiming beforehand that he intends to fight in May and September in each of the next two years. Saturday’s bout marked his second fight of 2013, returning after just four months, his quickest turnaround in more than a decade. 

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as the Records Keeper for the Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and a member of Boxing Writers Association of America.

Twitter: @JakeNDaBox