Boxer Floyd Mayweather has been named the world’s highest-paid sportsman for the second year running after banking $300million (Dh1.1bn).
According to figures released by Forbes, endorsements accounted for just $15m (Dh55m) of his income, with the majority of the American’s earnings coming from last month’s super-fight against Manny Pacquiao.
That bout in Las Vegas accounted for most of the $460m (Dh1.6bn) increase in earnings of the world’s top 100 athletes in 2015, with Pacquiao’s takings of $160m (Dh587m) making him the second-highest earner.
Mayweather, former world No 1 Tiger Woods and now Pacquiao are the only athletes to earn nine-figure incomes in a single year. In third place was Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who may have lost out to Barcelona rival Lionel Messi on the field but his earnings of $79.6m (Dh292m) were nearly six million more than the Argentinian’s.
Woods retained his place in the top-10 despite a dreadful year of injuries and loss of form thanks to his $50m (Dh117m) endorsements, compared to winnings of just $600,000 (Dh2.2m).
Fellow American Phil Mickelson was the top-performing golfer in eighth, although only $200,000 (Dh734,000) ahead of Woods.
