The Top 6 Biggest Boxing Paychecks of all Time

Professional boxing is a notoriously unpredictable sport. Even though they may not always be the highest-paid athletes, boxers who are at the top make a significant amount of money.

Notably, Floyd Mayweather purposefully engaged in high-profile fights with some of the top names in the sport to earn some of the biggest paychecks in boxing history. This helped him carve out an enormously wealthy career.

However, ‘Money’ is not the only person in the boxing industry to earn a substantial salary. The size of these high-stakes competitions is highlighted by the fact that these 10 payments stand out as some of the biggest in the sport’s history.

Whether they were winning or losing in the ring, these boxers made history in their bank accounts by earning some of the biggest paychecks ever documented.

Who are the Highest-Paid Boxers in History?

Floyd Mayweather, the legendary boxer, is reportedly the highest-earning boxer in history. His projected total revenue of 1.33 billion euros reflects some of the boxing biggest paychecks ever documented.

These figures show the total amount of money he has made during his career, accounting for inflation but not for taxes or other costs, emphasizing the size of his biggest boxing paycheck.

According to a Sportico analysis, basketball legend Michael Jordan leads the list of the fifty athletes whose total income comes from salaries, sponsorships, or investments in companies related to their sport. His total income is 3.1 billion euros, more than the biggest boxing paychecks in the business.

With seven fighters, boxing has the third-highest representation on this list. With an income of 825 million euros, Mayweather moves up to the eighth spot, above Mike Tyson, who comes in at 16th. Manny Pacquiao comes in second with 685 million euros, followed by George Foreman at 640 million, Oscar de la Hoya at 630 million, Evander Holyfield at 565 million, and the only boxer still in the ring, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, at 495 million euros. These fighters have some of the highest boxing salaries in the business.

Except Foreman, the other six have featured fights that have garnered the greatest Pay-Per-View (PPV) sales in history. Mayweather is the unifying factor in the first three of these fights—against Pacquiao, De La Hoya, and Canelo—ensuring that he will be paid among the highest sums in boxing history.

Furthermore, it’s important to note that three of them come from a prestigious heavyweight boxing era where Foreman, Tyson, and Holyfield left their mark in the division—even though Mayweather, Pacquiao, and De La Hoya have recently shone with some of the biggest paychecks in boxing.

More: Top 20 Best Boxers in the World Right Now

The Top 6 Biggest Boxing Paychecks of All Time

Below are the six boxing biggest paychecks of all time:

6) Oscar De La Hoya (vs. Floyd Mayweather)

Reported Paycheck: $52 Million

Highlights

• The enormous fight between Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya was historic.
• ‘Pretty Boy’ prevailed by decision in this crucial fight.
•  “Golden Boy” earned a then-record-breaking $52 million, making this event rank among the highest-paying boxing events in the history of the sport.

Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather’s 2007 fight is still regarded as a seminal event in boxing history. Notably, ‘Golden Boy’ nearly dealt ‘Pretty Boy’ his only defeat in his career.

But in the end, Mayweather prevailed via split decision, cementing this fight as one of the biggest paychecks in the history of the sport.

Mayweather took home $25 million from the fight, but De La Hoya made an astounding $52 million—a then-record—from it. His reign as the boxer with the biggest paychecks, nevertheless, was not long-lasting.

5) Floyd Mayweather (vs. Canelo Alvarez)

Reported Paycheck: $80 Million

Highlights

•  The catchphrase for Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez was “The One.”
• In this match between the unbeaten champs, “Money” established his domination.
• He earned an incredible $80 million in the process, making it one of the biggest boxing paychecks in history.

The Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez fight was disappointing in terms of competition. ‘Money’ used his defensive skills to dominate the bout with the young Mexican fighter, winning by majority decision despite the event’s huge build-up and one of the biggest paychecks in boxing.

All in all, Mayweather’s night went incredibly smoothly. To add to the delight, he reportedly made an incredible $80 million that September 2013 night.

4) Conor McGregor (vs. Floyd Mayweather)

Reported Paycheck: $130 Million

Highlights

•  In 2017, “The Notorious” entered the boxing ring.
• The pay-per-view sales for Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather were a remarkable 4.3 million.
• This enormous fight paid the Irishman almost $100 million, making it one of his biggest paychecks in boxing history.

From this moment forward, a recurrent motif emerges. The fight between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather in 2017 had been building for years. Even as McGregor rose to fame in the UFC octagon, he teased supporters with the idea of facing “Money” in the future.’

Even though McGregor did not win, he gave an amazing performance that was beyond many people’s expectations. He earned an astounding $100 million, a career-high, and one of his biggest paychecks in boxing, which added to his delight.

3)Manny Pacquiao (vs. Floyd Mayweather)

Reported Paycheck: $150 Million

Highlights

• The fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao was dubbed “The Fight of the Century.”
• ‘Money’ prevailed in the fight in 2015 with a unanimous decision.
•  “PacMan” made a significant $150 million payout upon his departure, making him one of the boxers with the highest pay packets in history.

Postponing a much-anticipated fight may pay off handsomely, as demonstrated in 2015 when Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather finally faced off after years of building anticipation. Even though the fight was thought to be ok, ‘Money’ won by decision.

Even if the ring experience may not have been as exciting as anticipated, it was unquestionably a very profitable one. With a healthy profit of $150 million, “PacMan” in particular enjoyed the rewards—one of the boxing biggest paychecks in the “Fight of the Century.

2)Floyd Mayweather (vs. Manny Pacquiao)

Reported Paycheck: $250 Million

Highlights

•  Floyd Mayweather took home a larger portion than Manny Pacquiao.
• As a result of this discrepancy, he received an extra $100 million.
• Mayweather’s $250 million bonus set a record at the time and highlighted one of the biggest paychecks in the history of the sport.

It was well known that Floyd Mayweather saw boxing as a business and not just a sport. Money proved this by investing years to get into a fight, making sure it went his way, and bringing in a sizable sum of money, as seen by his battle with Pacquiao in 2015.

Reportedly, Mayweather earned $250 million that evening—a startling $100 million more than his rival. It wasn’t even the highest-paying night in his boxing career, even if it was a historic night for the commercial side of the sport.

1)Floyd Mayweather (vs. Conor McGregor)

Reported Paycheck: $280 Million

Highlights

•  Like his fight with Pacquiao, Mayweather was able to negotiate a sizable split once more.
• Unlike ‘The Notorious,’ the UFC did not take home a percentage of his earnings.
• With his astounding $280 million payoff, Mayweather became the boxer with the biggest paycheck in history.

Although fans had been waiting years for the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao fight, the fight against Conor McGregor was a money-driven show.

Both combatants shared this aim, as evidenced by their worldwide press tour and copious amounts of media coverage, which ultimately led to one of the biggest paychecks for each athlete.

Mayweather earned an incredible $280 million with his fight with “The Notorious” in August 2017. Even though the fight was mostly seen as a show, it turned out to be a very profitable endeavor, securing Mayweather’s place among the boxers who have received the largest salaries in the history of the sport.

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Conclusion

The chase of glory and financial success in the fast-paced world of boxing has produced some of the biggest paychecks in boxing history.

These enormous profits—from Floyd Mayweather’s cunning bargaining to the spectacle of mixed martial arts matches like Mayweather vs. McGregor—have come to symbolize the sport’s attractiveness to people all across the world.

Not only did legendary fighters like Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao leave an enduring legacy, but they also made a significant financial impact outside of the ring.

The attraction of the biggest boxing paychecks is a tribute to the sport’s lasting popularity and high financial stakes, even as it continues to change.