Mayweather, Pacquiao are highest paid athletes

Boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr. (left) and Manny Pacquiao, stars of this year’s biggest boxing bout, topped the latest list of the world’s highest paid athletes, according to a report by Forbes. AP FILE PHOTO

Boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, stars of this year’s biggest boxing bout, topped the latest list of the world’s highest paid athletes, according to a report by Forbes.

Mayweather, who posted a record $300 million in earnings, broke the record previously held by Tiger Woods, who earned $115 million in 2008.

This was the third time in four years that Mayweather—a man called “Money”—topped the list, the US magazine noted.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, earned $160 million and was in second place, up from his 11th rank the previous year.

Financial record smashed

“The (May 2) fight was a dud in many people’s eyes, but it smashed every financial record in boxing, including pay-per-view buys (4.4 million and climbing), total gate ($73 million) and sponsorships ($13 million). The fight is expected to gross $600 million once everything is counted,” Forbes said in its report posted on its website.

“Pacquiao’s $125 million haul for the Mayweather bout was four times his previous high for a boxing match,” Forbes also noted.

The quick-jabbing Mayweather won the bout, held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, via unanimous decision, improving his undefeated slate to 48-0, and adding a third welterweight crown to his name.

Endorsement deals

Forbes’ earnings figures “include all salaries, prize money and bonuses paid out between June 1, 2014, and June 1, 2015,” Forbes explained, adding that endorsement incomes were “an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees and licensing fees for the 12 months through June 1 based on conversations with dozens of industry insiders.”

Of the $300 million, Mayweather earned $285 million in salaries and winnings, and $15 million in endorsements, whereas Pacquiao’s $160 million was divided into $148 million in winnings and $12 million in endorsements.

“Mayweather has shunned endorsement deals in the past, but he inked agreements with Hublot, FanDuel and Burger King ahead of the Pacquiao fight,” Forbes noted, adding that Pacquiao also “boosted his income further through endorsement deals with Nike, Foot Locker, Wonderful Pistachios and Nestle’s Butterfinger,” among other endorsements in the Philippines.

Entering 2015, Mayweather’s cumulative earnings had reached $420 million, according to Forbes.

Dubai or Abu Dhabi

Pacquiao’s haul for the Mayweather bout was four times his previous high for a boxing match, according to Forbes.

The Filipino also tallied $23 million for his fight against Chris Algieri which took place in the gambling mecca of Macau, China, said the US magazine.

Forbes noted that Pacquiao had been sidelined for the rest of 2015 after undergoing a shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff suffered during the Mayweather fight.

Promoter Bob Arum aims to have Pacquiao climb back in the ring in Dubai or Abu Dhabi in March or April next year, Forbes said.

Two women on list

Also on the list were Cristiano Ronaldo ($79.6 million), Lionel Messi ($73.8 million), Roger Federer ($67 million), LeBron James ($64.8 million), Kevin Durant ($54.1 million), Phil Mickelson ($50.8 million), Tiger Woods ($50.6 million) and Kobe Bryant ($49.5 million).

Only two women athletes made the list—tennis superstars Maria Sharapova ($29.7 million), who was 26th on the list, and Serena Williams ($24.6 million), who placed 47th.

“The 100 highest-paid athletes made $3.2 billion in total over the last 12 months, up 17 percent from the prior year,” Forbes said.

The top 100 included athletes from 10 sports, with baseball having the most number of athletes making the cut at 27 in all.

Source: Forbes