The most expensive words in boxing - "Let's get ready to rumble"

[Yo Tipster!]

An article about boxing announcer Michael Buffer caught my eye today. It claimed that boxing announcer (MC) Michael Buffer has earned an absolute packet from a career built on five words...

"Let's get ready to rumble!"

The catchphrase allegedly earns Buffer between $25,000 and $100,000 every time per fight. And laregly due to this vocal income stream, Buffer has a net worth of $400,000,000.

That's four. Hundred. Million. #fml

Can anyone qualify this statement to be true? Seems like a lot of dough for a few choice words.

 

[BluntTrauma21]

I think it's more like 4million.

 

[Fluffernutter]

I prefer

"Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit's Tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime!"

 

[randomg1t]

I think it's more like 4million.

400M does seem a bit of a stretch, but at 25k a pop minimum, 4M doesn't seem realistic either.

a bunch of net worth websites do have him listed at 400M, though. that's a lot of money.

 

[cmw43]

Probably got a decent slice of the Let's Get Ready to Rumble film, video games and the hit UK single in the 90s.

Edit: the video game paid him $100million to licence the phrase for use in their games forever.

He was also getting nearly $2million a year announcing for WCW and probably more for boxing and if he's been doing that for 30 years that's a lot of cash.

Hes appeared in most major boxing movies too.

 

[BluntTrauma21]

400M does seem a bit of a stretch, but at 25k a pop minimum, 4M doesn't seem realistic either.

a bunch of net worth websites do have him listed at 400M, though. that's a lot of money.

Yeah that was just a stupid post from me. 4 million is an old inside joke that's been around here for several years. I wouldn't be surprised if he's into the hundreds of millions. He's patented that saying and been around forever. Surprising he's worth that much but never really wondered how he was doing financially other than knowing him and his brother making a killing off of trademarking their phrases.

 

[Strychnine]

 

[aries]

400 million just seems like a ridiculous amount of money because that's as much as Floyd himself is worth. He's just an announcer after all. Doesn't seem right that's he is worth as much as the best practitioner of the sport in recent times.

 

[Stormtrooper85]

He was pretty smart about trademarking the catchphrase and having a fee for using it and a fine for anyone else who does.

I believe he got $5 million each appearance he used it which is even more genius on his part.

 

[Yo Tipster!]

400 million just seems like a ridiculous amount of money because that's as much as Floyd himself is worth. He's just an announcer after all. Doesn't seem right that's he is worth as much as the best practitioner of the sport in recent times.

If this is rue, then Buffer is the smartest businessman in boxing. Completely slipped under the rader!

How jealous would you be if you are Bruce Buffer, though?!

 

[Boxiana]

As a fan watching live, when the crowd is boiling and Buffer drops that line, its worth the price of the ticket on its own.

 

[mozfonky]

i would have never thought so but good for him i guess. I am old enough to remember when the boxing guys complained about him being a pretty boy and missing the old days when they had old bald guys announcing fights. Buffer is good, just listen at his brother who tries but just ain't got it.

 

[mozfonky]

i was surprised to learn how little refs make per fight, I think Mills Lane was raving about making a record 10 grand for the second tyson holyfield fight, that's my memory but i could be wrong on that.

 

[treelo]

One of the most iconic phrases in sports in the past 30 years

He also sounds like a wise businessman

 

[Mga223]

If this is rue, then Buffer is the smartest businessman in boxing. Completely slipped under the rader!

How jealous would you be if you are Bruce Buffer, though?!

Im not 100% sure but I'm almost certain Bruce told him to trademark it etc and that's the reason he's cashed up.

 

[burge13]

Im not 100% sure but I'm almost certain Bruce told him to trademark it etc and that's the reason he's cashed up.

This is correct.

 

[HelpYouFall]

Well, he just priced himself out of my wedding.

 

[Hagler]

Well, he just priced himself out of my wedding.

Fuck that. I can put 10 bucks.

 

[Badr Hari]

I like Jimmy Lenon's "It's showtime". Its more dramatic.

 

[mozfonky]

I like Jimmy Lenon's "It's showtime". Its more dramatic.

the best thing about jimmy lennon is that he sounds just like his dad.