5 of the highest-paid boxers of all time

Floyd Mayweather

It comes as no surprise that Floyd Mayweather Jr. is among the highest-paid boxers of all time. The undefeated defensive savant changed the course of his career in the 2000s when he adopted the moniker 'Money' Mayweather and played the villain role.

Mayweather's marketing strategy paid dividends, leading to a string of highly successful PPV events that shattered records. Over a decade, he headlined a series of PPVs that garnered millions of buys, starting in 2007 and culminating in 2017. His 2015 bout with Manny Pacquiao, for instance, not only set a record as Nevada's largest live gate for a boxing match but also became the highest-selling PPV of all time at 4.6 million buys. 

Mayweather's highest payout occurred in his final professional match against MMA superstar Conor McGregor. He reportedly made over $280 million for his fight with McGregor, which stands as the single biggest payout in the sport's history.

Sportico lists Mayweather as the 10th highest-paid athlete of all time, having earned 1.14 billion (1.48 billion adjusted for inflation) over his career.