Nigerians have excelled in many sports in recent years, including boxing, with Anthony Joshua emerging as one of the world’s richest boxers in terms of net worth.
In January 2022, Frank Warren’s Queensbury Promotions made a record-breaking purse bid of £31 million to host Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte.
The noise of the audience and knockout blows in boxing frequently translate into multi-million dollar payments, propelling boxers into the upper echelons of fortune.
Joshua and others as the top ten richest boxers in the world, according to The Punch:
1. Canelo Alvarez
Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez, the wealthiest active boxer worldwide, boasts an astronomical net worth of $180m.
Alvarez, 33 years old, has won multiple world championships in four weight classes from light middleweight to light heavyweight, including unified titles in three of those weight classes and lineal titles in two.
2. Anthony Joshua
34 years old Joshua’s meteoric ascent to the upper echelons of financial prowess parallels his ferocity within the squared circle. Renowned for his explosive punches and an impressive record of 26 victories in 29 bouts, with a staggering 23 of those triumphs ending by knockout, the Watford-born pugilist has showcased his dominance against renowned adversaries like Wladimir Klitschko, Dillian White and Charles Martin.
3. Tyson Fury
The British heavyweight maestro, Tyson Fury, 35, stands tall in third place with a net worth of $65m. With 33 victories in 34 bouts, including 24 knockouts, Fury’s showdowns against Wilder and Derek Chisora have added luster to his illustrious career.
4. Oleksandr Usyk
Ukrainian sensation, Oleksandr Usyk, 36, has accumulated a net worth of $50m and is fourth in the list. Renowned for his speed and ring craft, Usyk has held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the unified heavyweight titles in 2021, and the Ring magazine title since 2022.
5. Deontay Wilder
Coming up in fifth place on the list is Alabama-born Deontay Wilder, 36, commanding a net worth of $30m. Wilder has fought against some of the biggest names in boxing, including Tyson Fury and Luis Ortiz. He has won 42 of his 45 fights, with 41 of those wins coming by knockout.
Wilder is known for his powerful right hand which has earned the former WBC heavyweight champion a reputation as a knockout specialist.
6. Gennady Golovkin
Golovkin from Kazakhstan in sixth place with a net worth of $30m, Sonny Bill Williams in seventh with a net worth of $25m, and former world champion Andy Ruiz Jr. in 8th place worth $10m.
7. Sonny Williams
Williams is in seventh with a net worth of $25m.
8. Andy Ruiz Jr.
Former world champion Ruiz is in 8th place and is worth $10m. Ruiz famously shocked Joshua in 2019 by stripping him of the world titles with a technical knockout at the Madison Square Garden.
9. Sergio Martinez
Argentine pugilist Martinez, aged 48 and the oldest on the list, holds a net worth of $10m in joint eighth position with Ruiz. Martinez has held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the unified middleweight titles from 2010 to 2014.
10. Ryan Garcia
25-year-old Garcia is the youngest boxer on this list and worth $10m. Garcia has fought against some of the biggest names in boxing, including Luke Campbell and Francisco Fonseca. He has won 22 of his 23 professional fights, with 18 of those wins coming by knockout.