Pedro Oliveira
Boxing has always been an always growing industry, and with the advances in the media, advertising, marketing and the growth of each individual athlete as a public and popular figure (in part due to social networks), has made it possible for even those who do not practice the sport professionally, to reach enough people to fill arenas and sell tickets. Therefore, we bring you the list of the 5 highest paid boxers in history.
Over the last few decades, the spectacle on the ring has become one of the most money-making disciplines and industries in the sports market, and for those who star in the most anticipated fights, it is already possible for them to retire for life with just a couple of well-paid bouts.
5. Lennox Lewis
Within the same era and crop of boxers, that included him with Myke Tyson and Evander Holyfield, the Canadian, 1988 Olympic gold medalist, ended up being the most successful monetarily among the three of them, achieving one of the biggest numbers in boxing through his 14 years as a professional boxer, a record of 44-2-1 (32 wins by KO).
With two great bouts against Holyfield, a win against Tyson, and ending his career against a young Vitali Klitschko, Lennox not only secured retirement as the last defending heavyweight champion to date, but also he retired with a fortune of approximately $140.000.000 million dollars. This makes him the fifth highest paid boxer in history.
After his retirement in 2003, he pursued a career in acting, and he remains in the boxing industry as a television announcer and analyst.
4. Oscar De La Hoya
With a career that went from 1992 to 2008, the American of Mexican descent was one of the most successful athletes on the ring of his time. The Golden Boy began his career with a gold medal for the United States at the Barcelona Olympic Games (1992), and then he went on to win 11 times in six different weight classes, from super featherweight to middleweight.
With a record of 39-6 (30 KO’s), and bouts against Julio Cesar Chavez, Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad, Shane Mosley, as well as Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. , with whom he lost both fights, De La Hoya amassed a total fortune of around $200.000.000 million dollars in 16 years as a professional, making him the fourth highest paid boxer in history. He is currently still in the world of boxing (and MMA as of 2018), with his promoter Golden Boy Promotions.
3. Manny Pacquiao
Considered one of the best boxers in history, and an icon of both the Asian sport and the 2000s era, the Filipino boxer recently ended his career in 2021 after his loss to Yordenis Ugas, putting an end to a 26-year, 72-fight career with a record of 62-8-2 (39 KO’s).
He was the only boxer in history to win titles in eight different weight categories, and in four different decades (1990, 2000, 2010 and 2020), with a total of 12 belts. Being one of the most popular athletes on the planet during the 2000s and 2010, and starring in great matches against Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales and Floyd Mayweather to name a few, PacMan accumulated an estimated of $220.000.000 million dollars in his extensive boxing history, making him the third highest paid boxer in the world.
2. George Foreman
Foreman was one of the biggest names during the 1970s era, and he was the first to defeat the undefeated Joe Frazier in 1973. He also starred in one of the most important fights in the history of the sport, being defeated by Muhammad Ali in 1974, and after not getting more titles, after the first fall in his career, he retired in 1977.
Surprisingly, he would return to the ring 10 years later and become the oldest heavyweight champion in the world, winning against Michael Moorer (19 years old) the same title he had lost to Ali. He would finish his career with a record of 76-5 (68 KO’s).
Much of Foreman’s economic success came thanks to a product that bears his name and that is recognized around the world as the George Forman Grill, for which he sold the use of his image for $138 million in 1999. All this, added to other earnings, would put him over the $300.000.000.000 million dollars, as the second highest paid boxer in history.
1. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Knowns as the best defensive boxer in history, as well as the sixth highest paid athlete in history, no professional has ever been paid as much inside the ring as Mayweather. Money Mayweather.
He is also the only undefeated boxer on this list, with 50 wins in 50 bouts (27 KO’s). Floyd’s elusive, agile, counter-attacking style was his best tool to remain undefeated throughout his career. He faced big names such as Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao and Saul ”Canelo” Alvarez, and he amassed a fortune that is not precisely known, but is somewhere between $470.000.000 and $570.000.000.000 million dollars, making him easily the highest paid boxer in history.
Nothing more than his bout with MMA star Conor McGregor would have secured him the absurd amount of $300 million dollars. Floyd won 15 championships in 5 different weight classes during his 19-year career.
