Since 1990, Forbes has been tracking the annual income of athletes around the world when Mike Tyson emerged in the top spot with his total earnings of $28.6 million. Compared to the past, athletes are richer than ever due to product endorsements and growing television revenues.
It is worth noting that golf icon Tiger Woods topped the list last year with $78.1 million followed by Swiss tennis star Roger Federer with $71.5 million. This year, Floyd Mayweather Jr. took back the number one spot for the second time in three years, earning $105.5 million for only 72 minutes in the ring from his two fights against Canelo Alvarez and Marcos Maidana. Both Mayweather and Woods are the only athletes who have cracked the $100 million income threshold in sports history. Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James maintained their position in the top 5.
These figures were based from salaries and bonuses paid between June 1, 2013 to June 1, 2014. Endorsement incomes were also included. They represent a part of sponsorship deals, appearance fees, and licensing costs for the period. The list only includes active players this year. Here we will look at the 2014 Top 5 richest athletes compiled by Forbes Magazine.
1. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
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