Floyd Mayweather Tops List Of Highest-Paid Athletes

Floyd Mayweather had a pretty efficient year. He fought twice, defeating Victor Ortiz and Miguel Cotto, and pocketed a cool $85 million doing so.

Mayweather topped the list of the year’s 100 highest-paid athletes, released by Forbes this week. His rise to the top of the list, which he did in less than one hour of actual time spent in the ring, unseated Tiger Woods for the first time in a decade.

Since 2001 Woods held the top spot, but fell to No. 3 in this year’s rankings with $59.4 million. The golfer’s total earnings dropped $16 million from last year and is half of what he earned at his peak in 2009, Yahoo News reported. Even improved play of late has not been able to help Woods offset the loss of sponsors like Gillette and Tag Heuer, a Yahoo News report said.

Fellow fighter and Mayweather rival Manny Pacquiao finished No. 2 with $62 million. Miami Heat star Lebron James finished No. 4 with $53 million while tennis star Roger Federer was No. 5 with $52.7 million.

The rest of the list was: No. 6. Kobe Bryant with $52.3 million, No. 7 Phil Mickelson with $47.8 million, No. 8 David Beckham with $46 million, No. 9 Cristiano Ronaldo with $42.5 million and No. 10. Peyton Manning with $42.4 million.

Mayweather’s rise to the top of the list was notable because of his efficiency and style in earning his money, Yahoo News reported. He created buzz with colorful antics and played to a wider audience through his appearance on Dancing with the Stars in 2007, making him the sport’s most colorful star and helping his bout with Cotto net $94 million in pay-per-view receipts. The fighter also acts as his own promote through his company, Mayweather Promotions, allowing him to collect revenue from tickets, pay-per-view and sponsorships.

Mayweather’s outlook for 2012 isn’t as solid—the fighter is currently behind bars for the next three months for domestic battery.