Tyson Fury was the richest boxer last year (Image: Getty Images)
has been named as the highest-earning boxer in 2024, surpassing rivals and , according to Sportico.
Last year, Fury faced off against Usyk twice, with their first thrilling encounter in May seeing the Brit initially dominate before the Ukrainian turned the tables and won by split decision. The rematch seven months later saw a similar pattern, with Usyk once again emerging victorious via unanimous decision. Despite these losses, Fury still walked away with two substantial paydays.
A recent list by Sportico places him third among the top 100 highest-paid athletes of last year. These stars collectively earned an estimated $6.2 billion (£4.8bn) in total income, including $4.8 billion (£3.7bn) in salary and prize money, and $1.4 billion (£1.1bn) from other sources.
The ‘Gypsy King’ amassed a staggering $147million in total, with $140m (£112m) coming from his salary and winnings, while the remaining $7m (£5m) was earned through endorsements. The two-time heavyweight champion out-earned former Barcelona star Lionel Messi by $12m (£9.6m), but fell just short of basketball superstar Stephen Curry, who raked in $153.8m (£123.2m).
However, it was Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo who claimed the top spot, pocketing an impressive $260m (£208.2m). Alongside Fury, five other boxers made it into the top 100 earners. Fury’s 2024 rival, Usyk, was the second highest-paid boxer last year, earning $122m (£97.7m) in total, with $120m (£96.1m) coming from his salary and winnings. Football stars Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Karim Benzema and golfer Jon Rahm also featured in the top 10, but there was no place for Canelo Alvarez.
The current super-middleweight champion was the third highest-paid boxer, ranking 20th with a total income of $73m (£58.4m). His earnings included $65m (£52m) in winnings from his victories over Jaime Munguia and Edgar Berlanga, and $8m (£6.4m) from endorsements.
British boxing sensation Joshua was the joint-highest earner in endorsements, but he didn’t make it into the top 20. Instead, ‘AJ’ landed in 30th place, raking in a total of £48m last year, with £40m coming from salary/winnings. The former two-time world champion had two fights in 2024, first crushing Francis Ngannou before suffering a heartbreaking knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September. Notably, YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul made it into the top 100 after a successful year in the ring.
The American chalked up three victories in 2024, defeating Ryan Bourland, Mike Perry and Mike Tyson. In total, the 28 year old pocketed £38.4m, with £30.4m coming from salary/winnings and an additional £8m from endorsements. The sixth and final boxer in the top 100 is Naoya Inoue, who fought twice last year, beating Luis Nery and TJ Doheny. Overall, the super-bantamweight star earned £33.6m – £28m from salary/winnings and £5.6m from endorsements.