Boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (43-0) is the highest-earning American athlete for 2012 in a ranking of 50 athletes compiled by Sports Illustrated. For the first time since 2004, golfer Tiger Woods failed to occupy the number one spot and dropped down to third with earnings of $56.4 million ($1.9m in salary plus $54.5m in endorsements).
Mayweather earned $85 million – none of which came from endorsements – since late 2011, including $40 million from the fight with Victor Ortiz and $45 million from the bout with Miguel Cotto.
The top five in the U.S. list are rounded out by golfer Phil Mickelson at second ($60.7 million), Kobe Bryant at fourth ($48.2 million), and Lebron James at fifth ($45.8 million). NBA players earned less this year, and thus moved down on the rankings, due to the shortened lockout season.
Tennis star Roger Federer of Switzerland tops the international list at $51.4 million. Boxer Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines ranks sixth (in the international list) at $39 million.
Video: Mayweather vs Cotto: May 2012
The publisher included amounts from salaries, winnings, and bonuses compiled from data provided by players’ associations, organization records, agents’ testimonies, and news reports.
