Black boxers and fighters are amongst the richest athletes in the world.
But the best part about these athletes is, many of them don’t just make money from filling stadiums or guaranteed purses. Rather, they — like George Foreman — make money from products featuring their name and likeness, from different investments, and even from Olympic medals. And, as AfroTech previously reported, one of the men on this list — Anthony Joshua — has started to diversify his investments into the cannabis arena.
But not all of the richest Black boxers and fighters on this list are still active today. Many, like Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis, no longer box professionally. But for the ones that have made this list due to their prowess in the ring, their commitment to the sport has paid off — something that was unheard of nearly 50 years ago. Cumulatively, there’s nearly $3 billion in net worths and salaries between these 10 men, and that alone means these men deserve their flowers.
Let’s take a look at the 10 highest-paid Black boxers (and fighters!) in the world — see if one of your faves made this list.
Editorial note: The net worths listed in this piece are speculative estimates drawn from a variety of online sources.
Floyd Mayweather
Status: Retired (for now)
Salary: $450 million net worth, over $1 billion in salary over the course of his career
Though Floyd Mayweather often goes in and out of the ring, he doesn’t need his boxing career to make his coins. As AfroTech previously reported, “Money Mayweather” has a wide variety of investments, including commercial real estate, his own boxing promotions company, adult entertainment, cars, private jets, residential real estate, and more.
George Foreman
Status: Retired
Salary: $300 million net worth, $5 million in guaranteed purses
Like Floyd Mayweather, most of George Foreman’s wealth doesn’t come from boxing. It comes from the famous grills bearing his name, which has sold nearly a billion dollars worth of sales over the years.
Lennox Lewis
Status: Retired
Salary: $140 million net worth, $50 million salary peak (when he fought against Mike Tyson)
From 1989 until 2003, Lennox Lewis made a tremendous impact on the world of boxing. Throughout his career, he became the two-time lineal champion, three-time world heavyweight champion, and retains the world’s undisputed Heavyweight Champion. He also earned a gold medal in the 1988 Summer Olympics, when he defeated Riddick Bowe. As someone who strategized earning guaranteed purses and Pay-Per-View bonuses, Lewis was one of the top-paid Black boxers of his time and is quite possibly one of the greatest boxers of all time.
Sugar Ray Leonard
Status: Retired
Salary: $120 million net worth, $100 million in guaranteed purses
These days, Sugar Ray Leonard is best known for being a motivational speaker. However, he was the first Black boxer to earn more than $100 million in guaranteed purses, according to SportsCasting and is widely considered one of the greatest American boxers of all time.
Anthony Joshua
Status: Retired
Salary: $80 million net worth, nearly $200 million in total guaranteed purses
Anthony Joshua shocked the boxing world when he announced his retirement plans in September 2021. But his legacy in the boxing world has forever been cemented. He’s one of the wealthiest British boxers of all time, per the Mirror, who showed that he earned more than 46 million GBP (about $62.5 million) in one fight, thus eclipsing previous purses earned by all British boxers in history. He also once held the unified world heavyweight championship.
Muhammad Ali
Status: Deceased
Salary: $50 million net worth
The late, great Muhammad Ali wasn’t just a boxer — he was a trailblazer. Everyone remembers the famous “Rumble in the Jungle.” And, when adjusted for inflation, he made more than $60 million over the course of his career in salary.
Deontay Wilder
Status: Active
Salary: $46.5 million net worth
Deontay Wilder may no longer hold the WBC heavyweight title after Tyson Fury knocked him out in October 2021, per ESPN, but he still gets paid well. Forbes reports that Wilder — who came in at No. 20 on the outlet’s highest-paid athlete’s list — also won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics, which is where he got his nickname “The Bronze Bomber.”
Mike Tyson
Status: Retired
Salary: $10 million net worth, $430 million in guaranteed purses and endorsements
Though Mike Tyson has had a career filled with ups and downs, his redemption is certainly wonderful to behold. At the peak of his career, he made more than $400 million in purses, making him one of the wealthiest Black boxers of all time.
Kamaru Usman
Status: Active
Salary: $6.5-7 million net worth
Although he’s just getting started in his boxing career, the “Nigerian Nightmare” — aka Kamaru Usman — is already proving he’s worth his weight in gold.
Devin Haney
Status: Active
Salary: $5 million net worth
Trained by his father, boxer Bill Haney, Devin Haney is quickly rising in the ranks of the boxing world with a career of his own. He owns his own promotion company and has been earning several endorsements along the way.
