Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez has earned the biggest contract in sports history. Photo / Getty Images
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez has earned the biggest contract in sports history. Photo / Getty Images
Signing an 11-fight deal with NZ$555 million with DAZN, the US digital sports streaming channel, boxing star Saul 'Canelo' Avarez has etched his name in the history books with sports' biggest ever contract.
Christopher Reive looks at some of the biggest contracts in other sports.
Giancarlo Stanton –Signed 13-year, NZ$470m contract with the Miami Marlins
Giancarlo Stanton joined the New York Yankees for the 2018 MLB season. Photo / Getty Images
For years, Stanton looked like someone the Miami Marlins could build a competitive team around. One of the league's elite power hitters, Stanton was locked away on a massive deal in 2016. He repaid the team the following year with the best season of his career, earning National League MVP honours in 2017. However, the 28-year-old was traded to the New York Yankees ahead of the 2018 season, as Miami looked to rebuild and shed his mammoth contract.
Neymar – Joined Paris Saint-Germain on a five-year, NZ$390m deal.
Neymar has made a strong impression with PSG since joining from Barcelona. Photo / Getty Images
Scoring 68 goals in 123 appearances for Barcelona since joining the side in 2013, Neymar showed he had the talent to compete with the world's best footballers on a nightly basis. In doing so, he grabbed the attention of the high-rolling Paris Saint-Germain club, who broke out their cheque book to secure his services.
James Harden – contract extended to receive NZ$347m from the Houston Rockets over six years
Houston Rockets guard James Harden shoots over Kevon Looney of the Golden State Warriors. Photo / Getty Images
Remember when the Oklahoma City Thunder traded James Harden because they didn't want to fork out big offers for both he and forward Serge Ibaka? The Houston Rockets had no issue in giving the star guard big deals in 2012 and 2016, and then extending it last season. On top of the two years he had remaining on his deal, the Rockets and Harden agreed to a four-year extension in last season which lifted his total contract to a six-year deal making the reigning league MVP the highest paid player in NBA history.
Aaron Rodgers – contract extended to receive NZ$274m from the Green Bay Packers over six years
Aaron Rodgers has played his entire NFL career with the Green Bay Packers. Photo / Getty Images
In a similar case to that of Harden, Rodgers was signed to a record-breaking extension which pushed the time remaining on his contract out to six years, including the 2018 season. The contract will keep the Green Bay Packers superstar in Wisconsin until the end of the 2023 season, and will likely mean he'll play out his career as a one team man.
