You could easily miss that Lani Daniels is a formidable heavyweight boxer at first glance, and no one would fault you for it. The Whangarei, New Zealand native, a mental health nurse, seems the least likely person to earn her income by punching people in the face. The warm, humble, and always smiling demeanour of the 37-year-old doesn’t give any kind of threatening vibes. However, once you step into the ring with her, it is a completely different story.

‘The Smiling Assassin’ made her professional debut in 2017 and has been looking for the one chance to make a breakthrough. Well, on July 26, she will get exactly that against arguably the very best, Claressa Shields, for the undisputed heavyweight title. Coincidentally, Daniels won the vacant IBF Heavyweight championship in 2023, but had to relinquish the title because the IBF does not allow its boxers to hold world titles in two weight classes simultaneously. So, for the IBF light heavyweight champion, this fight is not only about the undisputed glory, but getting back what she never lost. And she would have to do that in Claressa Shields’ backyard. So, as Lani Daniels puts the final touches on her preparations, let’s take a look at her financial standings and how this fight will affect that.

Lani Daniels’ 2025 net worth and endorsements

At this moment, there are no available reports determining the net worth of Lani Daniels. However, we can make an educated guess based on her earnings and endorsements. She made her professional debut a year after completing her nursing degree. However, despite being a professional boxer now, she continues to be a mental health nurse, specializing in youth mental health in her New Zealand hometown. Furthermore, the 37-year-old didn’t even want to be a boxer and took up the sport to lose weight. However, after getting a taste for boxing, she never turned back, becoming one of the few women to claim a ‘big four’ sanctioning body title in the heavyweight division and the first New Zealand-born fighter to achieve this.

Her achievements and hard work finally paid off when, earlier this year, she signed a massive deal with Salita Promotions. While the details of the deals are not revealed, Benjamin Watt described it as a “deal of a lifetime.“ “She’s signed with a massive international promoter, which will practically set her up for the rest of her career. Probably to the point where she’ll eventually retire near the end,” he added.

Salita Promotions is a giant in the boxing industry, which involves the likes of Jarrell Miller and even Claressa Shields. At the moment, there is no public data indicating Lani Daniels has a major endorsement deal. However, given her new promotional deal and upcoming fight against Claressa Shields, it is just a matter of time. Moreover, her primary income continues to come from boxing purses, so let’s examine them.

How much does Lani Daniels earn? Boxing purse history

As the July 26th fight marks Daniels’ first bout outside New Zealand, her exact boxing purses are difficult to pinpoint. However, it’s reasonable to assume that, like many boxers, the Kiwi earned approximately NZD 4,000 ($2,400) in the early stages of her career.

Which will mean that her Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, headliner will be a huge jump for her. Reportedly, she will be taking around $250,000 home with her. Furthermore, a good performance here would elevate her visibility tremendously, which would result in bigger boxing purses and endorsements.

Based on current information, it is safe to assume that Lani Daniels’ net worth is likely around $600,000. This includes her Salita deal, the upcoming Claressa Shields fight, and growing endorsements, and it won’t be long before her net worth climbs into the seven-figure range. What do you think?