Kickboxing is a martial art that combines traditional boxing with standing leg kicks. While some people simply practice kickboxing as part of their workout routines, others enter the sport professionally to fight opponents in the ring and earn money. Kickboxing is part of the mixed martial art (MMA) fighting community and is a technique used by fighting legends such as Anderson Silva and Frank Munoz.

Bringing Home the Bacon

Professional kickboxers are paid per fight. The better the fighter they are, and the more well-known they are, the larger the purse and the more lucrative the fight. The venue also has an impact on how much a fighter can earn. According to SB Nation, payouts for the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2011 ranged from $600 to $1 million. For the August, 2013, fights with the World Series of Fighting, payouts ranged from $2,000 to $31,000. All fighters are paid, whether they win or not. Some kickboxers choose to stay out of the ring and teach the sport as fitness trainers, earning an average of $31,720 a year as of 2012, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.