Sorry if this is a daft question. Would they have been paid by cheque? I imagine this is the most likely option.
I have been posting here since 2004 and can honestly say I've never seen this topic before. Points for originality.
Cold hard cash for lower end fights, usually by the owner of the pub they were fighting in. This is what I've usually heard from fights from Sullivan's time to Marciano's.
You mean fights outside of the US? Not sure. I'd have to assume it was the fighter's preference at the higher levels on whether or not it was cash or check. I'd imagine that during the 1930s, checks weren't being used. I know back in the bareknuckle-early boxing days fighters used to make under-the-table bets that would be in cash, so that was probably the favorite in payouts. Most people didn't trust banks back then
I was thinking of British fighters of the 1930's to 1960's fighting for British, Commonwealth and European titles and above.
Hahaha! That may not be a bad thing. Alfred Hitchcock, who was a very shrewd businessman, invested large amounts of money in owning huge herds of cattle.
Before his fight with Fireman Jim Flynn in 1912, Jack Johnson received his purse in the form of a certified cheque for $31,100.
Ah yes, I remember reading that Tunney was to be paid just under a million dollars for the rematch with Dempsey and he paid the difference to the promoter so he would receive a cheque for a round million.
This. When my grandfather used to box in the late 50’s he was paid in cash for all his fights except for the two fights he had against top competition. His good friend Jimmy Carter, who was the lightweight champion on the other hand always got checks.