Sports
How Much Is Michael Buffer Worth Because of Boxing?
John Moriello started covering sports in 1982, began digital publishing in 1995, and joined Sportscasting in 2020. A graduate of St. John Fisher University, he finds inspiration in the underdogs and the fascinating stories sports can tell (both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat). John expertly covers all aspects of NASCAR. Beginning with his 2014 coverage at Fox Sports of the aftermath of the dirt-race tragedy in which Kevin Ward Jr. died after being struck by a car driven by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart, John has excelled as a journalist who specializes in the motorsports world. He previously spent more than three decades covering high school sports and worked as a beat writer covering Big East football and basketball, but NASCAR is now where the true expertise falls. John is a member of the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame (2013), the President of the New York State Sportswriters Association, and a two-time Best of Gannett winner for print and online collaborations whose work has appeared on FoxSports.com and MaxPreps.com.
Get to know John Moriello betterPublished02 Apr 2020
Michael Buffer has built a financial empire from his work in the boxing ring without ever once having been punched in the face.
Buffer has been doing ring introductions for many of the world’s biggest fights for decades. He has leveraged his trademark catchphrase into millions of dollars by licensing its use to some of the country’s largest companies.
‘Let’s get ready to rumble!’ is a boxing tradition
Michael Buffer sold cars and did modeling work after being discharged from the Army at the age of 23, but he didn’t find his calling in life until the age of 38 when he began his career as a boxing announcer.
He caught on with Bob Arum’s Top Rank promotions and was doing all the introductions on ESPN boxing cards. Having failed to stir up the crowd with “Man your battle stations” or “Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts” early on, Buffer started using his now-familiar “Let’s get ready to rumble!” line in 1984 and it caught on with the national audience.
That led to Buffer being hired as the exclusive ring announcer for all boxing cards in businessman Donald Trump’s casinos. It gained him access to the sport’s top boxers and promoters.
Among the memorable fights Buffer has announced were 44-year-old George Foreman knocking out unbeaten Michael Moorer in the 10th round in 1994 after trailing badly on points, and Evander Holyfield beating Riddick Bowe for the heavyweight title in a rematch interrupted by a fan trying to fly into the ring. He was also the announcer for Bowe vs. Andrew Golota, which ended in a near-riot at Madison Square Garden in 1996.
Michael Buffer branched out beyond boxing
One report speculated that Michael Buffer earns an average of as much as $5 million per fight card. That more likely reflects his overall annual income divided by the number of fights he works.
Buffer’s popularity in the boxing ring led to numerous other opportunities for him in the sports world, including working for World Championship Wrestling. He has announced at championship series for the MLB, NBA, and NHL playoffs as well as the NFL postseason and the Indianapolis 500.
He has also appeared in boxing-themed films and starred in the movie “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan” as the villain. Buffer has also been an animated character in television series including “The Simpsons” and “South Park.”
Michael Buffer has protected his catchphrase
Boxing announcer Michael Buffer, 75, has been very careful in protecting his most valuable asset, formally obtaining a trademark for the “Let’s get ready to rumble!” catchphrase in 1992.
That’s led to lucrative licensing agreements with video developers whose games have become popular on systems manufactured by Sony, Sega, and Nintendo. He’s also been made into an action figure by at least two toy manufacturers.
Buffer, the half-brother of UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer, appeared in Progressive Insurance commercials in 2013, altering his signature line to “Let’s get ready to bundle!”
Combined with deals he’s struck with the Mega Millions lottery, Kraft Cheese, and apparel companies, he is believed to have earned more than $400 million just from product licensing.
