Heavyweight Boxing
New York, NY, USA - The Heavyweights have always been the kings of professional boxing. With the biggest fights able to sell-out some of the biggest stadiums in the world and command huge audiences via pay-per-view sales, it isn't surprising that fighters such as Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis have all gone onto become some of the highest-paid athletes in the history.
Heavyweight boxing to this day still remains huge business and in this article we'll break down just who are the highest estimated earning heavyweights so far in the 2020’s.
Estimated Earnings since January 202O (Including Usyk rematch).
'For me, it's about being a star, being a superstar, and not just winning a world title but becoming the best-ever British fighter this country has ever had. That's what I am, and that's what I intend to do.'
Seemingly at rock bottom, many pundits and professionals thought that Tyson Fury's time in boxing was done, but the Gypsy King came back fighting and thanks to the three fights that he shared with Deontay Wilder, the two-time World Champion was able to complete a remarkable rise back to the top of the sport.
Needing to rebuild his life from both a personal and financial perspective, in recent years we have seen Fury embark on other money making ventures. Having had a brief stint with the WWE, Fury was another boxer keen to cash in on the wealth on offer in Saudi Arabia and performed with MMA star, Francis Ngannou, before losing his unbeaten record in his clash with Oleksandr Usyk for the vacant Undisputed Heavyweight Championship.
It's estimated that Fury has amassed 250-270 million so far this decade. With a rematch against Usyk pencilled for December 2024, Fury will be looking to bounce into 2025 with the title and his financial legacy secured.
Estimated Earnings since January 2020 (Including Fury Rematch).
'My goal was to become the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. I want to bring glory to Ukraine and to show that skill, intelligence, and hard work can overcome size and power.’
Oleksandr Usyk has built a hall-of-fame career that has seen him rise from Olympic glory to becoming one of the most skilled and respected boxers in the world. Usyk first made his mark on the global stage by winning Gold in the heavyweight class at the 2012 London Olympics. His professional career took off when he entered the cruiserweight division, where he quickly established himself as a dominant force. Usyk’s technical brilliance, footwork, and ring IQ allowed him to unify the cruiserweight belts by 2018.
Following his dominance at cruiserweight, Usyk moved up to the boxing's premier division with the ambition of achieving his intended goal of becoming the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. His adaptability and unique style, which emphasizes movement and precision, have allowed him to overcome larger opponents. In 2021, Usyk solidified his place as one of the top heavyweights by defeating Anthony Joshua in a stunning upset to claim the WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight titles. After defending these titles in a rematch with Joshua, Usyk went on to defend his titles against Daniel Dubois in Poland at Warsaw Stadium. Then in May of this year Oleksandr Usyk achieved his goal of winning the vacant Undisputed Heavyweight Championship by outworking and outpunching Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia. Their highly anticipated rematch is scheduled for Decemebr 21st in Riyadh will earn the two fighters an estimated 200 Million.
Estimated Earnings since January 2020 (Including Dubois match).
'I want it all: I want the attention and live for the glory nights.'
Although Fury is in the lead for the highest earner so far this decade, it's Anthony Joshua who looks to be on course to take top spot going forward. A former Unified Heavyweight Champion, Joshua has become a force in the sport ever since breaking onto the scene courtesy of his London 2012 Olympic Gold.
A generational fighter when it comes earnings, AJ can sell out the biggest stadiums within minutes. and is steadily working his way up the Forbes rich list.
Estimated to have earned more than 100 million dollars in this decade alone, Joshua is keen to capitalize on the generational wealth being offered in Saudi Arabia, his bouts against Oleksandr Usyk alone saw the Londoner rake in excess of 60 million dollars.
Now aiming to become Undisputed Champion, Joshua looks set to become one of the richest fighters in the history of the sport.
Estimated Earnings since January 2020.
'Losses happen in boxing, even to the greatest fighters. Right now, I’m enjoying life, investing, and focusing on my family and future.".’
Deontay Wilder rose to prominence in the boxing world with his incredible knockout power and dominant reign as WBC title holder. Known as "The Bronze Bomber," Wilder held the WBC belt from 2015 to 2020, successfully defending it ten times. His rivalry with Tyson Fury remains one of the most talked-about trilogies in recent boxing history. Wilder's explosive right hand made him one of the most feared punchers in the sport, with 42 knockouts in his career.
However, Wilder's career faced significant setbacks following his losses to Tyson Fury in 2020 and 2021, where he lost the WBC title and failed to win it back it n the rematch. Despite these defeats, Wilder remained a top-tier contender in the division, continuing to command substantial earnings. His more recent defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang marked further challenges in his career, but his earning power remains mostly intact, with significant purses from more high-profile bouts in the future. Wilder himself acknowledges that losses are a part of the sport, stating, "Losses happen in boxing, even to the greatest fighters," and he remains focused on his future both inside and outside the ring.
Estimated Earnings since January 2020.
'I have a lot of respect for Wilder, but we trained very hard for this. Everyone had other plans, but this is God's plan. I stay calm, relaxed, and focused.’
Joseph Parker, a former WBO title holder from New Zealand, has had an illustrious career in boxing. He first rose to prominence by winning the WBO title in 2016, and successfully defended it twice before losing to Anthony Joshua in 2018. Parker is known for his fast hands, resilience, and ability to adapt in the ring. Over the years, he has faced some of the top names in heavyweight boxing, including Joshua, Dillian Whyte, and Andy Ruiz Jr. After suffering a knockout loss to Joe Joyce in 2022, Parker worked his way back into contention, training with Tyson Fury and consistently improving his skills.
In 2023, Parker achieved two massive wins that reignited his career. His victory over Zhilei Zhang showcased his tactical boxing prowess, and his upset over Deontay Wilder in December proved his ability to overcome top-tier opponents. In both fights, Parker displayed exceptional conditioning and strategy, using his footwork and defense to neutralize his opponents' power. The win against Wilder, in particular, was a career-defining moment, as Parker dominated the former WBC champion and announced his return to the heavyweight elite.
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You could argue that there has never been a better time to be a top heavyweight. Whereas in boxing's golden days, the mega fights and mega money was exclusively reserved for Vegas, nowadays, fighters can amass millions by fighting at various stadiums around the world, as well as the recent new riches that Saudi Arabia is providing.
Top Heavyweight Boxing covers the past, present and future of boxing's premier division. Copyright© 2024
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