Floyd Mayweather Makes Seismic Leap in Annual List of Highest-Paid Athletes

Every year, Forbes guesstimates which athletes bring in the most coin. Last year's list featured Cristiano Ronaldo at No. 1.

Though he wasn't even in the top 10 in 2017, Floyd Mayweather has lept all the way to the top spot on this year's list. Floyd made the leap after earning $275 million for his hyped-up August fight with UFC star Conor McGregor. The others at the top: soccer stars Lionel Messi ($111 million) and Cristiano Ronaldo ($108 million). McGregor ascended to the No. 4 spot.

The disparity between Mayweather and McGregor: $186 million. McGregor brought in an estimated $99 million in 2017.

This is the fourth time in seven years Floyd has ranked No. 1. Only three athletes have occupied that rarified territory in the past 18 years: Floyd, Ronaldo, and Tiger Woods.

LeBron James, who was No. 2 last year, slid to No. 6 at $85.5 million. Neymar was just ahead of him at No. 5 ($90 million). Rounding out the top 10: Roger Federer (No. 7), Steph Curry, Matt Ryan, and Matthew Stafford. Last summer, Steph signed a five-year, $201 million deal.

Federer was the highest-paid endorser, bringing in $65 million from advertising deals. Next up: LeBron at $52 million and Ronaldo at $47 million.

The top 10 of the list features three soccer players, two basketball players, two football players, one mixed martial artist, one boxer, and one tennis player.

Former Thunder teammates Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden all made the top 15, with KD clocking in at No. 11 ($57.3 million), Russy at No. 13 ($47.6 million), and the Beard at No. 14 ($46.4 million).

Check out the full list here.