Floyd Mayweather named world’s highest-paid athlete on list with no women

AAP
Jun 06, 2018, updated Jun 06, 2018

Retired boxer Floyd Mayweather was the highest paid athlete in the world last year. Photo: Getty

Retired champion boxer Floyd Mayweather has reclaimed title as the world highest paid athlete on a top-100 list that features no Australians and not a single woman.

The 41-year-old Mayweather, who last took to the ring in 2017 against Irishman Conor McGregor, reclaimed the top spot from Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo on the annual Forbes list.

The American’s earnings from the McGregor fight made him the world’s best paid for the fourth time in seven years, with $US285 million ($374 million).

Ronaldo ($US108 million; $142 milion) fell to third, behind soccer rival Lionel Messi ($US111 million $146 million).

Only the top three had earnings surpassing $US100 million.

Irish mixed martial artist McGregor ($US99 million; $130 million) and Paris St Germain’s Neymar ($US90 million; $118 million) were fourth and fifth, respectively, but for the first time since 2010 there was not a single woman on the list.

Serena Williams, winner of 23 grand slam tennis singles titles, was the sole female representative last year but she has since largely been inactive owing to pregnancy and following the birth of her daughter Alexis in September.

Though still substantial, her $US18 million off-court earnings from sponsors were insufficient for her to make the top 100.

LeBron James (basketball), Roger Federer (tennis), Stephen Curry (basketball), Matt Ryan (American football) and Matthew Stafford (American football) concluded the top 10.

Barcelona’s Argentine star Messi narrowly surpassed Ronaldo after signing a new contract at Barcelona, but the Portuguese, Mayweather and golfer Tiger Woods – this year ranked 16th – remained the only three to top the best-paid list during the past 18 years.

Fourth-placed McGregor’s earnings represented almost double that of four-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton ($US51 million).

There were also no Australians represented in the top 100.