Ronaldo Leads Forbes 2026 Richest Athletes as Boxing Surges, MMA Still Absent
Forbes’ 2026 list has Cristiano Ronaldo at No.1 with about $300 million (including fight purses and sponsorships), Canelo Alvarez No.2 with $170 million, and Jake Paul No.23 with $70 million; only two boxers are in the top 50 and no MMA fighters appear for a second straight year, while tennis star Jannik Sinner sits at No.50 with $54.6 million. The piece notes the Canelo–Crawford fight drew over 41 million viewers on Netflix, Crawford not grading into the top 50, and references Conor McGregor’s past top earnings alongside his upcoming UFC return as potential hope for a UFC presence in 2027.
