Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao each made more money in one night last May 2 than any other athlete in the world over an entire year.
Mayweather is the top-grossing sports figure by far, pulling in a record $300 million in winnings and endorsements. He received a 60% cut of the roughly $400 million he and Pacquiao received for their May 2 mega fight, as well as another huge payout from his September bout with Marcos Maidana and a handful of endorsements.
It’s the 2nd year in a row and the 3rd time in four years that Mayweather has led the list.
Pacquiao jumps from No. 11 in 2014 to No. 2 this year with $160 million in total earnings, thanks mainly to the Mayweather fight but also counting his
November bout with Chris Algieri and a bunch of endorsements.
International soccer stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are next on the list with $79.6 million and $73.8 million, respectively, and tennis superstar Roger Federer rounds 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 comes from endorsements). Kevin Durant (No. 7, $54.1 million) and Kobe Bryant (No. 10, $49.5 million) also made the top 10.
American golfers Phil Mickelson (No. 8, $50.8 million) and Tiger Woods (No. 9, $50.6 million) made almost all of their money through endorsements. Mickelson earned just $2.8 million on the tour last year; Woods a mere $600,000. (Forbes Magazine)