Boxing has to make do with two stars featuring on the Forbes Highest Paid Athlete list for 2023 as those making considerable numbers in the sport dwindles.
Of the Top 50 paid sportspeople on the planet, Pound for Pound star Canelo Alvarez does make it into the top five. The only other boxer on the roster is Anthony Joshua.
Both work with Eddie Hearn and are signed to DAZN.
Canelo’s earnings include big fights with Dmitry Bivol and Gennadiy Golovkin. At the same time, Joshua getting his bag stems from a defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia.
Usyk doesn’t get a spot because his earnings are less than half that of his opponent.
The days of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao commanding impressive Pay Per View figures over the million mark fight after fight are long gone.
Forbes Highest Paid Athletes 2023
Rank – Athlete – Sport – Earnings – In sport – Out of sport
1. Cristiano Ronaldo Soccer $136 M $46 M $90 M
2. Lionel Messi Soccer $130 M $65 M $65 M
3. Kylian Mbappé Soccer $120 M $100 M $20 M
4. LeBron James Basketball $119.5 M $44.5 M $75 M
5. Canelo Alvarez Boxing $110 M $100 M $10 M
6. Dustin Johnson Golf $107 M $102 M $5 M
7. Phil Mickelson Golf $106 M $104 M $2 M
8. Stephen Curry Basketball $100.4 M $48.4 M $52 M
9. Roger Federer Tennis $95.1 M $0.1 M $95 M
10. Kevin Durant Basketball $89.1 M $44.1 M $45 M
11. Giannis Antetokounmpo Basketball $87.6 M $42.6 M $45 M
12. Neymar Soccer $85 M $50 M $35 M
12. Russell Wilson Football $85 M $72 M $13 M
14. Russell Westbrook Basketball $82.1 M $47.1 M $35 M
15. Rory McIlroy Golf $80.8 M $40.8 M $40 M
16. Tiger Woods Golf $75.1 M $15.1 M $60 M
17. Cameron Smith Golf $73 M $67 M $6 M
18. Brooks Koepka Golf $72 M $66 M $6 M
19. Kyler Murray Football $70.5 M $67 M $3.5 M
20. Bryson DeChambeau Golf $69 M $68 M $1 M
21 to 40
21. Lewis Hamilton Auto Racing $65 M $55 M $10 M
22. Max Verstappen Auto Racing $64 M $60 M $4 M
23. Klay Thompson Basketball $60.9 M $40.9 M $20 M
24. Patrick Mahomes Football $59.3 M $39.3 M $20 M
25. Damian Lillard Basketball $58.6 M $42.6 M $16 M
26. Max Scherzer Baseball $56.7 M $55.7 M $1 M
27. James Harden Basketball $55.1 M $33.1 M $22 M
28. Anthony Joshua Boxing $53 M $50 M $3 M
28. Jon Rahm Golf $53 M $28 M $25 M
28. Aaron Rodgers Football $53 M $42 M $11 M
28. Mohamed Salah Soccer $53 M $35 M $18 M
32. Erling Haaland Soccer $52 M $40 M $12 M
32. Patrick Reed Golf $52 M $49 M $3 M
34. Paul George Basketball $51.5 M $42.5 M $9 M
35. Kawhi Leonard Basketball $50.5 M $42.5 M $8 M
36. Bradley Beal Basketball $49.8 M $43.3 M $6.5 M
37. Derek Carr Football $48.9 M $45.9 M $3 M
38. Orlando Brown, Jr. Football $48.6 M $48.5 M $0.1 M
39. Aaron Donald Football $48.5 M $46.5 M $2 M
40. Anthony Davis Basketball $48 M $38 M $10 M
41 to 50
41. Jimmy Butler Basketball $47.8 M $37.8 M $10 M
41. John Wall Basketball $47.8 M $47.3 M $0.5 M
43. Jordan Spieth Golf $47.5 M $17.5 M $30 M
44. Luka Doncic Basketball $47.2 M $37.2 M $10 M
45. Scottie Scheffler Golf $47.1 M $32.1 M $15 M
46. Sergio Garcia Golf $46 M $43 M $3 M
46. Dak Prescott Football $46 M $31 M $15 M
48. Deshaun Watson Football $45.8 M $45.3 M $0.5 M
49. Serena Williams Tennis $45.3 M $0.3 M $45 M
50. Tom Brady Football $45.2 M $1.2 M $44 M