Boxing’s Financial Powerhouses: Canelo, Joshua, And Fury Dominate Forbes’ Highest-Paid Athletes List

Forbes revealed their annual “highest-paid athletes” list, with Canelo Alvarez, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury being the only boxers that made it among the best-paid athletes in 2024.

It’s not surprising that those three have made the list this year, as they’ve been active and their fights well-received by the boxing public on PPV.

Canelo Alvarez ($85 million): The King

Undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo is #14 on the Forbes highest paid athletes list. He would be higher if he were to fight David Benavidez, a fighter that the boxing world have been pushing for Canelo to fight.

Canelo is popular in the U.S and Mexico, and it doesn’t seem to matter that he hasn’t been involved in a mega-fight since his rematch with Gennadiy Golovkin in 2018.

Alvarez has been playing it safe ever since then in his last 12 fights in the last six years. Canelo’s loss to Dmitry Bivol was viewed as a cherry pick gone wrong by many fans.

Anthony Joshua ($83 million)

Not far below Canelo on Forbes’ list is Britain’s star, Anthony Joshua, at #16. The former two-time heavyweight champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist makes tons of money each fight.

Like Canelo, Joshua hasn’t faced a stiff test in years since his second loss against Oleksandr Usyk in 2022. Although the 34-year-old Joshua has won his last four fights, he’s not faced world-class opposition since his defeat against Usyk.

Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has matched him against four consecutive tomato cans to artificially rebuild him in terms of marketing. It’s going to be interesting to see how Joshua does when he’s finally put back in with live bodies.

Tyson Fury ($50 million)

The Gypsy King, Tyson Fury makes Forbes’ list at #42. Known for his bragging and his chubby physique, the WBC heavyweight champion Fury is more entertaining outside of the ring than in it. An excellent self-promoter, Fury brings a blend of WWE to his fights.

Fury is loved by British fans, and viewed as a fake, manufactured fighter by many Americans. Still, he brings in the money by the boatload each time he fights, and His Excellency Turki Alalshikh is high on him, viewing him as a diamond.

Fury is arguably the weakest talent-wise of the bunch, but what he lacks in ability, he makes up for his showmanship outside of the ring.