The numbers coming out of the recently concluded Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight once again put the spotlight on the alleged pay gap between boxing’s top stars and UFC athletes.Fresh reports suggest Alvarez and Crawford generated a combined $200 million for their blockbuster showdown. This figure nearly equals the UFC’s entire roster earnings for 2025, which are estimated at $210 million.Crawford defeated Alvarez by unanimous decision in a dominant performance. Beyond the result, combat sports analysts continue to dissect boxing paydays, which continue to produce individual events where two fighters can eclipse what hundreds of UFC athletes earn in a year.Check out the X post below:The comparison has left many MMA fans frustrated about fighter pay, with one fan writing:"That's insane."Meanwhile, other fans wrote:"I don't get why the UFC is still very far behind in salary terms.""Yeah, that’s just for TWO people lol.""And this is why UFC fighters are always trying to get fights with boxers. Way more money to be had at the top.""The money in boxing is absolutely insane.""Please don't get me wrong, but you guys are getting it wrong. It's not that UFC or MMA doesn't make money. It's the way UFC is run like a proper league that keeps a standard pay structure. Boxing is no structure just random matchups. Khabib [Nurmagomedov] vs. [Ilia] Topuria can make 200 million easily.""That explains why the UFC champs all want to box."Check out some of the fan reactions below:Fans react to the alleged pay gap between boxing and MMA. [Screenshots courtesy: @HappyPunch on X]When Terence Crawford debated fighter pay with UFC starsFormer UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and boxing star Terence Crawford clashed over the differences in pay between MMA and boxing.Usman argued that MMA fighters benefit from a clearer structure where pay is straightforward, while boxing purses often get divided among managers and promoters before reaching the athlete.Crawford countered by stating that boxing pays more overall, with even undercard fighters sometimes out-earning UFC headliners. Speaking in an episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Crawford said:"Boxers get paid more than MMA as a whole. It's no comparison... For instance, UFC, a guy headlining at The Sphere, they're probably getting a couple of million dollars. But you'll see a guy on the undercard of a big show probably making more than that guy. ...You show up, you get $50,000. You win, you get another $50,000.You get the Knockout of the Year, you get another $50,000."