Mayweather leads Forbes' highest-paid athletes of 2015 list by $140 million
Forbes' annual highest-paid athletes list was released Wednesday, and by no surprise, Floyd Mayweather is at the top.
According to Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes, the 100 athletes included this year accumulated an aggregated total of $3.2 billion, meaning they circulate more money than the average human would know how to spend.
Each figure combines the athlete's total earnings over the last 12 months, including bonuses, appearance fees, endorsements, and prize money.
While Mayweather banked the most at $300 million, his recent opponent, Manny Pacquiao, finished second, with $160 million. Cristiano Ronaldo, who made $79.6 million, trailed Pacquiao, while Lionel Messi is just behind his soccer counterpart at $73.8 million.
Despite a disappointing season, Tiger Woods still cracked the top 10 at No. 9, with just over $50 million.
| Rank | Athlete | Sport | Total Earnings ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Floyd Mayweather | Boxing | $300 |
| 2 | Manny Pacquiao | Boxing | $160 |
| 3 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Soccer | $79.6 |
| 4 | Lionel Messi | Soccer | $73.8 |
| 5 | Roger Federer | Tennis | $67 |
| 6 | LeBron James | Basketball | $64.8 |
| 7 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | $54.1 |
| 8 | Phil Mickelson | Golf | $50.8 |
| 9 | Tiger Woods | Golf | $50.6 |
| 10 | Kobe Bryant | Basketball | $49.5 |
(Source: Forbes)
The cutoff this year was $18.8 million (James Harden) - $1.5 million more than last year.
The list includes athletes from 10 different sports, with baseball representing the most, at 27.
The top female is Maria Sharapova, who at No. 26 made $29.7 million. Serena Williams is the only other female ranked (No. 47), earning $24.6 million.
Neymar, 23, is the youngest on the list, with $31 million at the No. 23 ranking. Phil Mickelson, 44, is the oldest.
Ben Roethlisberger is the highest-paid NFL player (No. 11, $48.9 million), while not one hockey player made this year's cut.
The complete list can be seen here.