ACCORDING to Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao each made more money in one night than any other athlete in the world over an entire year.
The two boxers topped the list of highest-paid athletes from June 1, 2014 to June 1, 2015.
Mayweather, 38, is the top-grossing sports figure by far, pulling in a record $300 million in winnings and endorsements. He will receive a 60 percent cut of the roughly $400 million he and 36-year-old Manny Pacquiao (and their promotion companies) are set to receive for their May 2nd boxing match, billed the “Fight of the Century,” as well as another huge payout ($285 million) from his September bout with Marcos Maidana and a handful of endorsements.
“Floyd Mayweather just pulled off the biggest score in the history of sports and entertainment,” said Leonard Ellerbe, who heads Mayweather Promotions.
It is the second year in a row and the third time in four years that Mayweather, who defeated Pacquiao in their much-anticipated fight, has led the Forbes list. He had cumulative earnings of $420 million when 2015 first started.
“Even from day one when I was with Bob Arum, I said I wanted to work extremely hard to get to a certain point in my career, which is to get to a point to be the first fighter ever to make nine figures in one night,” Mayweather said, who received a $100 million check on fight night.
Pacquiao jumps from No. 11 in 2014 to No. 2 this year, with $160 million in total earnings. Most of the money came from the boxing match, as well as his bout with Chris Algieri in November 2014 and multiple endorsements.
The Fight of the Century last month is now expected to gross $600 million, according to Forbes. May 2 already broke an astounding number of boxing records, including 4.4 million pay-per-view purchases (which will probably be more, once all the purchases are counted), $73 million total gate, and $13 million in sponsorships.
International soccer stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were next on the list, with $79.6 million and $73.8 million, respectively. Professional tennis sensation Roger Federer rounded out the top five, with $67 million.
LeBron James is the highest grossing NBA star, coming in at No. 6 overall with $64.8 million ($44 million of that from endorsements). Kevin Durant finished next ($54.1 million), followed by Lakers megastar Kobe Bryant ($49.5 million) in the Top 10.
American golfers Phil Mickelson ($50.8 million) and Tiger Woods ($50.6 million) made almost all of their money through sponsorships and endorsements. Mickelson earned just $2.8 million on the tour last year.
In the NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is the highest-ranked player, with $48.9 million. Jon Lester of the Chicago Cubs topped the Major League Baseball rankings, and no hockey players made Forbes’ list.
Tennis stars Maria Sharapova ($29.7 million) and Serena Williams ($24.6 million) are the only female athletes on the list who made the top 100.
Mayweather’s $300 million in earnings this past year easily broke the previous highest record set by Tiger Woods in 2008, when Woods earned over $115 million (or $125 million, adjusting for inflation).
The Pacquiao fight marked the fifth bout in the blockbuster 30-month, six-fight deal Mayweather signed with Showtime in 2013. Mayweather, whose undefeated record is at 48-0, plans to fight in September to satisfy his contract and then possibly retire.
Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, with $125 million hauled from the Mayweather match, earned four times his previous high for a boxing match. He also boosted his income further through endorsement deals with Nike, Foot Locker, Wonderful Pistachios, and Nestle’s Butterfinger, as well as a handful of sponsors from the Philippines.
Pacman will be sidelined for the rest of 2015 after shoulder surgery to repair his torn rotator cuff, which he failed to report ahead of the May 2 fight. His promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, is aiming to have Pacquiao back in the ring in Dubai or Abu Dhabi by March or April 2016. (with reports from Forbes, Los Angeles Times, CBS Sports)
