Floyd Mayweather Jnr. Is 2015’s Highest-Paid Athlete With Record US$300m Earnings

Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao both earned hugely from their fight, the American finishing top of the highest-paid athletes list and the Filipino second. Photograph: Esther Lin/EPA

Floyd Mayweather has topped the Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes for 2015 with a record US$300m (£194m) in earnings.

The welterweight boxer had already earned US$420m entering 2015 but it was his fight with Manny Pacquiao in May that boosted income for the self-styled Money Man.

Accordingto Forbes, Mayweather was paid US$100m on the night, but that was boosted by pay-per-view figures (4.4m), gate money (US$73m) and sponsorships (US$13m).

The Guardian UK report continues:

The fight is likely to gross US$600m with the fighters and their promotions companies splitting US$400, 60% which will go to Mayweather.

With the earnings calculations running from 1 June 2014 to 1 June 1 2015, Mayweather’s fight against Marcos Maidana in September is also factored in, bringing his income to US$285m over the last 12 months in the ring. Deals with Hublot, FanDuel and Burger King added US$15m to that figure.

Unsurprisingly, Pacquiao also benefited from the big fight to stand second in the earnings list with US$160 million.

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo was third with earnings of US$79.6m, taking in more than US$50m a year in salary and bonuses, ahead of his great Barcelona rival Lionel Messi with US$73.8m.

Roger Federer is fifth with earnings of US$67m, including US$58m from sponsors, exhibitions and appearance fees. Another tennis player, Maria Sharapova, is the top-ranked women at No26 with earnings of US$29.7m.

Despite his declining form, Tiger Woods hangs in at nine on US$50.6m, with Rory McIlroy at 12 with US48.3m.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 14th (US$39.1m), Lewis Hamilton 15th (US$39m) and Gareth Bale 18th (US$35m). Wayne Rooney is down in 34th with US$26.9m and Radamel Falcao 38th with US$25.9m.