UFC veteran Dan Hardy is set to make more money in his scheduled exhibition boxing match against fellow veteran Diego Sanchez, than he did fighting under the UFC.
Over the last several years, Dan Hardy has made it no secret that he wants to make a return, but it had to be worthwhile. There was talk about Hardy competing in a caged Muay Thai contest against John Wayne Parr under ONE FC, but the fight failed to materialize. However, it was announced that Hardy would square off against Diego Sanchez in an exhibition match on the Ricky Hatton undercard later this year.
Fans across multiple disciplines of combat sports have questioned the matchup, but Hardy believes it was a fight that was brewing for years. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Hardy explained why he made the decision to take the fight and described the financial advantages of doing so.
Dan Hardy on Diego Sanchez Fight
“Look at Nate Diaz, for example. I know he’s making decent money with the UFC, but can you imagine what he’d be worth in a couple of fights outside the UFC. It’s crazy. And somebody’s making that money. We all know it — $175 million for Crypto.com [sponsorship], that money’s going in people’s pockets, and it’s not building the sport, and we all live off the sport. This is what we do and what we love, and there are people skimming massive amounts of money off the top of it, and we’re all sitting here watching it.
“This is the turning of the tide when people like Diego and I, we make a bit of money toward the end of our career because this is what we do, we’re prize fighters and people put a price on the table – the one that’s standing at the end takes the prize. Then we move on and we open up our own gyms and keep this sport moving forward because the skinsuits at the top aren’t going to do it. They’re going to keep lining their pockets.”
“You could add all my paychecks together from the UFC and I’m still making more doing this.” Hardy adds. Quotes via MMA Fighting
What are your thoughts on the matchup between Dan Hardy and Diego Sanchez?
About Post Author
