Ronaldo Tops Forbes…
May22May 23, 2026

Ronaldo Tops Forbes…

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ESPN Soccer News

  • Andreas HaleMay 22, 2026, 03:43 PM ET

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      Andreas Hale is a combat sports reporter at ESPN, covering MMA, boxing, and pro wrestling. In his downtime, he enjoys playing video games, diving into music, and cheering for the White Sox and 49ers. Additionally, he hosts for Sirius XM’s Fight Nation. Previously, he was a senior writer at DAZN and Sporting News and started his career as a music journalist with notable outlets like HipHopDX, The Grammys, and Jay-Z’s Life+Times. He was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award as a producer for the animated short film “Bridges” in 2024.

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Canelo Alvarez had a challenging year in his professional boxing career, finishing 2026 with a record of 1-1, including a defeat to Terence Crawford for the undisputed super middleweight championship. Despite this, he’s recognized as the second-highest-paid athlete globally, as per Forbes’ World’s Highest-Paid Athletes list for 2026.

At 35 years old, Alvarez earned $170 million in 2025, with $160 million from fight purses and an additional $10 million from endorsements and sponsorships. This impressive earnings tally places him at No. 2, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo, who remains at the top with a remarkable $300 million over the same period.

In 2026, Alvarez participated in two bouts: a unanimous decision victory against William Scull in May, followed by the loss to Crawford in September. He has since paused his boxing career following elbow surgery but is slated to make a comeback on September 12 against Christian Mbilli for the WBC super middleweight title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Another boxer making the list is Jake Paul, ranked at No. 23 with total earnings of $70 million. Paul, 29, recorded a 1-1 record in 2025, featuring a unanimous decision win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June and a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in December. Since that defeat, Paul has been recovering from a broken jaw and hopes to return to fighting in early 2027.

Rounding out the top five athletes on Forbes’ list are soccer star Lionel Messi ($140 million), Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James ($137.8 million), and the talented two-way player for the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani ($127.6 million).