Flying punches and showering money. That’s how some boxers saw the 2024. The fans were delighted, too. They witnessed some big fights, stacked undercards, and the Saudis reaching the American and British shores, and amidst all this cash grab involving HE Turki Alalshikh, some boxers made a splash in the pool filled with money.

We take a look at these names, who sent shockwaves through the boxing world. But there is a notable snub. There is no Canelo Alvarez on the list. However, that also leaves the competition wide open. Let’s have a look at who received heavy paychecks.

#5 Mike Tyson: edging out Canelo Alvarez

Who would have thought that Mike Tyson would be on such a list in 2024? Definitely not us. His fight with Jake Paul ensured he had a commercially successful year. But how much did he take home for putting his body on the line in a pro fight almost two decades after hanging up his gloves? The official numbers are not out. There were reports of an $80 million purse, where ‘Iron Mike’ at least had been reported to take $20 million.

But you must have read the post-fight reports, which theorized that the figure could be closer to $40 million and even more after factoring in gate revenue and other bonuses. When you factor in Canelo Alvarez‘s $35 million purse per fight, you can put ‘The Baddest Man on Planet’ ahead of the Mexican champion on number 5.

#4 Jake Paul: leap frogging Canelo Alvarez

When Paul, 27, took the Tyson fight, he got a hefty check for taking on one of the greatest heavyweight fighters on a Netflix card. The YouTuber-turned-prizefighter has proved his mantle as a crowd-puller, and he reaped rewards for it. He banked at least $40 million from his fight with Tyson, 58, and his pre-fight comments dropped major hints.

‘The Problem Child’ declared at a press conference, “I’m here to make $40 million and knock out a legend.” He could have gotten an even higher amount. But that $40 million slots him at number 4.

#3 Anthony Joshua: ripples of crossover fighting

When Francis Ngannou took on Tyson Fury last year, he emerged as one of the hottest names in the boxing world. It also aligned the boxing stars to ensure him another fight, and that’s how we got this fight. Anthony Joshua was the winner on the results card, and his bank statements said the same.

The reports suggested that there was a 70 million purse for the fight in Riyadh. ‘AJ’ picked up $50 million for showing up and putting on a show for the fans, whereas ‘The Predator’ had the biggest payday of his career, with a $20 million purse. The British boxer had one of the biggest nights of his life, and it landed him at number 3 on this list.

#2 Tyson Fury: breaching the $100 million mark

Fury, 36, was the favorite to bag the undisputed title going into the fight with Oleksandr Usyk when they first clashed in May. While ‘The Gypsy King’ only brought the WBC strap to the fight, he had a larger split of the reported total of $150 million purse. The British boxer had a 70-30 cut, and it amounted to $105 million.

The Ukrainian champion, on the other hand, only had $40 million to himself, despite bringing more belts to the fight. But it was he who won the fight, and it made him the A-side when they sat down at the negotiation table and decided on the pay cut.

#1 Oleksandr Usyk: ending the year with a bang

Usyk, 37, fought the fight of his life when he re-matched Fury on December 21. This time, the allure and charm were larger. The fans and pros had the Manchester native as the favorite on their cards, but it didn’t affect the business side of things. ‘The Cat’ had a 60-40 share of the increased $190 million purse, and it came close to $114 million for him.

This was the highest salary for any boxer this year, for stepping inside the squared ring and bagging a win added another layer of joy for Usyk. It was possible because it happened on Saudi soil and it could set standards for 2025 fights.

What do you make of these highest-paid boxers this year? Did it surprise you that it didn’t have Canelo Alvarez on the boxing list? Let us know in the comments below.