Discover the world’s highest-paid athletes as latest rankings is released. Cristiano Ronaldo takes the top spot, while Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury break into the list, and Lionel Messi slips down the rankings
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are among six boxers featured in the 2024 Sportico rich list, according to talksport.com.
Between February 12, 2024, and February 12, 2025, Sportico tracked the earnings of the world’s top athletes to compile its annual ranking.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr claimed the top spot with an astonishing $260 million, while Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry secured $153.8 million, ranking second.
Former unified heavyweight champion Tyson Fury placed third, earning $147 million from his two fights with Oleksandr Usyk and endorsement deals.
Lionel Messi, LeBron James, and Neymar occupied spots four to six, with Usyk following closely at seventh. Despite Fury taking a larger share, Usyk still bagged $122 million, including endorsements. His earnings are expected to rise in 2025 after signing a lucrative four-fight deal with Riyadh Season, featuring a September showdown against Terence Crawford.
Anthony Joshua ranked as the fourth-highest-earning boxer and 30th overall with $60 million. He started the year strong, knocking out Francis Ngannou in March but later suffered a stoppage loss to Daniel Dubois in September.
Jake Paul ranked 52nd overall and fifth among boxers, earning $48 million. His high-profile Netflix fight with Mike Tyson in November at AT&T Stadium, Texas, grossed over $17.8 million at the gate and attracted an estimated 108 million viewers. Paul earned $38 million from the fight, with endorsements adding another $10 million.
Japanese star Naoya Inoue, ranked 81st, was the sixth boxer on the list. He earned $42 million after defeating Luis Nery and TJ Doheny in 2024 before knocking out Kim Ye-joon in early 2025. His earnings are expected to rise further after securing a multi-fight deal with Riyadh Season.
The year 2024 proved to be highly profitable for these elite athletes, and they are expected to earn even greater earnings in 2025.
credit: withinNigeria
