Forbes has revealed its annual list of ‘highest-paid athletes’, with Canelo Alvarez, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury the only boxers to be among the highest-paid athletes in 2024.
It’s no surprise that these three are on the list this year, as they have been active and their fights have been well received by the boxing audience on PPV.
Canelo Alvarez ($85 million): the king
Undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo is No. 14 on Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes. He would be better if he fought David Benavidez, a fighter the boxing world is pushing Canelo to fight.
Canelo is popular in the United States and Mexico, and it doesn’t matter that he hasn’t competed in a mega-fight since his rematch with Gennadiy Golovkin in 2018.
Since then, Alvarez has played it safe in his last 12 fights over the past six years. Canelo’s loss to Dmitry Bivol was seen as a choice gone wrong by many fans.
Anthony Joshua ($83 million)
Not far from Canelo on the Forbes list is British star Anthony Joshua, at 16th. The former two-time heavyweight champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist makes tons of money from every fight.
Like Canelo, Joshua has not faced a tough test in years since his second loss to Oleksandr Usyk in 2022. Although Joshua, 34, has won his last four fights, he has not faced opposition world class since his defeat against Usyk. .
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, confronted him with four consecutive cans of tomatoes to artificially rebuild him in terms of marketing. It’s going to be interesting to see how Joshua behaves when he’s finally reintegrated with living bodies.
Tyson Fury ($50 million)
The Gypsy King, Tyson Fury, is on the Forbes list at 42nd place. Known for his swagger and chubby physique, WBC heavyweight champion Fury is more entertaining outside of the ring than in it. An excellent self-promoter, Fury brings a WWE mix to his fights.
Fury is beloved by British fans and considered a fake, manufactured fighter by many Americans. Yet he brings in money by boat every time he fights, and His Excellency Turki Alalshikh is high on him, considering him a diamond.
Fury is arguably the weakest talent of the group, but what he lacks in ability he makes up for in showmanship outside the ring.
