American boxing legend Floyd Mayweather is among the highest-paid athletes of all time. Mayweather, with an impressive record of 50-0, had career earnings of $1.48 billion before he retired in 2017.

A recent report by the Sport Bible said that Mayweather, 47, was among the top 10 highest-paid sports stars- a list that included Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lebron James.

Jordan topped the list with career earnings of $3.75 billion, followed by Tiger Woods at $2.66 billion, and Ronaldo at $1.92 billion.

Neymar’s career earnings so far have been around $1.01 billion, Hamilton has earned $880 million while Mike Tyson earned $905 million.

Floyd Mayweather: The richest boxer of all time

He might not be the richest athlete across sports, but Mayweather is the richest boxer of all time- ahead of his former arch-rivals Manny Pacquiao and Canelo Alvarez and old-school legends such as Mike Tyson and George Foreman. 

A list released by Sportico in March 2024 said that Pacquiao had career earnings of $750 million, Canelo at $640 million, Tyson at $950 million, and Foreman at $705 million.

Despite being insanely wealthy, Floyd Mayweather has always trained as if he were an amateur boxer moving up the ranks in the combat sport.

From boxing to real estate

Having amassed a massive wealth from boxing, Mayweather is still making money and expanding his empire.

In a report published in late November 2024, Bein Sports said that Mayweather is continuing to make waves in the world of businesses and investments.

Mayweather recently made a $402 million real estate purchase in New York, but he is taking things even further with a massive $10 billion project.

On October 16, the 47-year-old finalised a deal to acquire over 60 buildings, which will provide more than 1,000 affordable housing units. 

This deal, ranked among the largest real estate transactions in New York City for 2024, the report said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Boxing may soon welcome a new promotion. Not entirely new, though. Dana White has been in the combat sports business for the last 32 years. He transformed the UFC from a small $2 million business into a $10 billion behemoth. White could bring similar success to boxing, particularly with the backing of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. Together, they may reshape the traditional structure of a sport that has long been defined by its conventions.

Introducing significant changes, HE Alalshikh and Riyadh Season have already made notable strides in boxing. Their efforts have brought some of the most high-profile fights in recent years to the forefront. Speaking with Carl Froch, HE Alalshikh roped in a Floyd Mayweather example and hinted at potential transformations. With Dana White’s involvement, fans can expect notable changes in the sport moving forward.

HE Turki Alalshikh: Changing Perspectives on Losses in Boxing

On Froch’s channel, HE Alalshikh shared his views on a possible matchup between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, both of whom have suffered recent losses. For Alalshikh, the key question was whether both fighters were focused and determined enough to make the historic clash happen.

“We must now, uh, be, uh, normal, uh, to be, uh, normal, uh, to have losing some fights in the boxing,” he said. The Riyadh Season pointed out that most fighters dream of maintaining an undefeated record like Floyd Mayweather Jr. However, such records are rare, and phenomena like Mayweather’s success come along only once in a generation. “All the fighters want similar to the career of (Floyd)Mayweather – zero losses. This can happen one time every 50/60/70 years,” the Saudi Royal contended.

Citing Muhammad Ali‘s example, HE Alalshikh said, “We need like the UFC model now, where the champions are losing and winning. Muhammad Ali lost five times and he’s still the legend.”

New vision for boxing and Dana White’s arrival

A recent report by The New York Times revealed that a team from Saudi Arabia is in talks with TKO Holdings, the parent company of UFC, to create a new boxing league. It’s been suggested for long. Rather than having separate governing bodies, the idea of consolidating boxing under one unified organization, similar to the UFC, sounds appealing to many. This consolidation would simplify the sport for fans. For promoters, it could also become easy to organize major fights that appeal to the audience.

Dana White’s involvement in boxing isn’t entirely new. Despite his focus on mixed martial arts, the UFC president has long been enthusiastic about the sport. In the past, he played a significant role in promoting the mega-fight between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Last year, White expanded his partnership with Riyadh Season. The ‘Riyadh Season Noche UFC’ in Las Vegas became the highest-grossing event in UFC history. White also made his formal entry into boxing with the launch of ‘UFC Fight Pass,’ which featured Callum Walsh in the main event in Dublin, Ireland, in September. Speaking with the media, White reportedly said, “We’ve been kicking the whole boxing thing around for a long time, but you’ve never heard me commit and say ‘I’m in’. Well, I’m in.”

With his vast experience and innovative approach, Dana White could introduce groundbreaking concepts to boxing. His involvement may open new opportunities for young fighters who often face long waits for major bouts, ultimately benefiting the sport as a whole.

Floyd Mayweather record unlikely to be repeated in new era

Boxing is on the brink of a transformative era, with UFC President Dana White and His Excellency Turki Alalshikh working to reshape the sport.

White, known for turning the UFC into a $10 billion global powerhouse, is now partnering with Alalshikh and Riyadh Season to reimagine boxing. Together, they aim to simplify the sport’s structure and create new opportunities for fighters and fans.

Redefining success: Normalizing losses in boxing

Alalshikh noted that many fighters aspire to replicate Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s 50-0 record, but he emphasized that such perfection is extremely rare.

“All the fighters want similar to the career of Mayweather – zero losses. This can happen one time every 50/60/70 years,” he said.

Instead, Alalshikh pointed to Muhammad Ali, who lost five times but remains a legendary figure. He argued for a model similar to the UFC, where champions can lose and still be celebrated.

“We must now be normal to have losing some fights in boxing,” he stated, emphasizing that losses shouldn’t overshadow a fighter’s overall legacy.

Reports suggest Saudi Arabia is in talks with TKO Holdings, the UFC’s parent company, to establish a unified boxing league. This would bring the fragmented sport under one umbrella, streamlining governance and making major fights easier to organize.

Dana White’s passion for boxing isn’t new, but his recent commitment marks a turning point. Through UFC Fight Pass, he has already hosted boxing events, including a Callum Walsh-headlined bout in Dublin.

“We’ve been kicking the whole boxing thing around for a long time, but you’ve never heard me commit and say, ‘I’m in.’ Well, I’m in,” White declared

The vision of White and Alalshikh could lead to a more accessible and dynamic boxing world. A unified league would simplify the sport for fans while offering fighters more frequent opportunities to compete. Young talents, often sidelined due to the sport’s fragmented structure, would particularly benefit from this new approach.

By combining White’s innovative strategies with Alalshikh’s commitment to elevating the sport, boxing could see a renaissance. This partnership promises to redefine success, break down barriers, and bring fresh energy to a sport steeped in tradition.