Cristiano Ronaldo claimed the top spot on Forbes’s list of the highest-paid athletes for 2023, boasting total earnings of $136 million. Although this ranking was widely accepted, boxing enthusiasts took to trolling Tyson Fury, the heavyweight boxer, for his noticeable absence from the list.
The subsequent positions were occupied by two soccer players, with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe securing places with earnings of $130 million and $120 million, respectively.
In the comprehensive list of 50 athletes, only two representatives hailed from the world of boxing. Despite general consensus regarding the rankings, boxing fans targeted Fury with online taunts for not making the cut.
1/6 Three sports superstars are once again among the world’s 50 highest-paid athletes, who combined have more than $2 billion in pre-tax earnings across their pro careers.https://t.co/h9LkccKgh9
— Forbes (@Forbes) May 16, 2023
With earnings of $110 million, Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez secured the impressive fifth position on the highest-paid athlete list. Canelo’s notable placement reaffirms his status as the face of boxing, a title he is likely to hold until his retirement.
Another prominent boxer, former two-time unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, claimed the 28th spot on the list, amassing $53 million in earnings.
Canelo Alvarez ($110million) and Anthony Joshua ($53million) are the only two boxers featuring in Forbes' full top 50 highest-paid athletes list for 2023.
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) May 17, 2023
Surprisingly, Joshua surpassed current WBC heavyweight champion Tyson, who was notably absent from the list. It is worth mentioning that Fury was featured on the highest-paid athlete list in 2022, accumulating $62 million in earnings.
However, his current lack of activity and failure to secure a fight with notable opponents likely impacted his exclusion from the latest rankings.
Fan’s Take to Twitter After Tyson Fury was Snubbed in Forbes List
Tyson faced disappointment in terms of earnings as he failed to secure a spot on the lucrative list. Furthermore, his reputation as the heavyweight division’s biggest draw came under scrutiny when his fellow boxer, Anthony Joshua, managed to secure a place.
This news prompted fans to take to Twitter and troll Fury for his absence.
Canelo Alvarez ($110million) and Anthony Joshua ($53million) are the only two boxers featuring in Forbes' full top 50 highest-paid athletes list for 2023.
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) May 17, 2023
Fury faced criticism from fans regarding alleged falsehoods about his donations and mocked him for his purported outrageous PPV shares. Additionally, fans called him out for allegedly underpaying his opponents.
Canelo Alvarez ($110million) and Anthony Joshua ($53million) are the only two boxers featuring in Forbes' full top 50 highest-paid athletes list for 2023.
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) May 17, 2023
Amidst the trolling, some users did congratulate Canelo and Joshua for being the only boxers to make the list.
Fans heavily criticized the British boxer for purportedly underpaying other fighters on his card. While some fans still hold hope that Fury will earn more from his upcoming fight, it has been announced that his bout with Oleksandr Usyk has been called off.
One of the main reasons cited for the fight’s cancellation was Fury’s demand for a higher percentage of PPV shares.
Do you think Fury should have made it to the list? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
