Throwing a punch is a great way to secure generational wealth.
Sportico, a Penske-owned sports business media company, released its list of the highest-paid athletes of all time on Tuesday, and in their top 50 rankings, seven boxers occupied the coveted spots.
Chief on the list representing the sweet science was Floyd “Money” Mayweather, who came in at the No. 8 spot with inflation-adjusted earnings of $1.41 billion and non-inflation-adjusted earnings of $1.11 billion.
Basketball icon Michael Jordan ranked first on the list with $3.3 billion in inflation-adjusted earnings.
The following boxing icons were also included on the list – the first amount is the inflation-adjusted earnings, and the second amount is the non-inflation-adjusted earnings.
No. 16: Mike Tyson: $875M; $455M
No. 21: Manny Pacquiao: $725M; $560M
No. 24: George Foreman: $680M; $355M
No. 27: Oscar De La Hoya: $665M; $410.3M
No. 38: Evander Holyfield: $600M; $310.2M
No. 48: Canelo Alvarez: $525M; $460M
Here’s how Sportico explained its methodology:
“Our earnings estimates are based on conversations with industry insiders, Sportico research, and historical estimates in media outlets, such as Forbes and Sports Illustrated.
“Earnings include salaries, bonuses, prize money, purses, endorsements, licensing, royalties, memorabilia, book deals, media, appearances and golf course design fees. We included cash earned from equity stakes in sponsor companies, like LeBron James’ stake in Beats Electronics, Kevin Durant’s share of Postmates, and James Harden’s piece of BodyArmor. We did not factor in traditional investment income.
“Sportico included earnings during playing careers and retirement through 2022 and adjusted them for inflation. Earnings are calculated up until the time of the death for Arnold Palmer and Kobe Bryant. All earnings are pre-tax and before any fees for agents and lawyers.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.