There is no doubt that Canelo Alvarez did not expect to taste defeat in boxing again. It was 9 long and happy years that the Mexican did not lose a single fight, until the challenge represented by Dmitry Bivol in the 175 pounds category was insurmountable. Although at a sporting level this brought him consequences, in another important area he continues to be on a par with stars such as Lebron James, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
After Dmitry Bivol outpointed him by UD, Canelo Alvarez was left wanting to win his fourteenth world championship in 17 years of boxing career. He also failed to become two-times World Light heavyweight titlist and in several of the Pound for Pound rankings he was displaced from the top.
For his part, Dmitry Bivol reinforced his worth as a boxer, unknown to many before the fight with Alvarez. In addition, he won the biggest purse of his career so far (approximately $5 million) and could increase his income if he grants Canelo a rematch, although he has shared that his real goal is to become Undisputed Champion at 175 pounds.
Canelo Alvarez shares the top 5 in this ranking with Lebron James, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Sport is passion, dedication, self-improvement... and also a very lucrative business. Thus, it is not uncommon for the best athletes to have millionaire incomes from all the money they generate around them. This is where Canelo Alvarez rubs shoulders with the elite, with superstars such as Lebron James, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Despite the loss to Bivol, Alvarez is the face of boxing when it comes to money.
According to Sportico, in the list of athletes who generated the highest income, considering both sallary and endorsements, from May 2021 to May 2022, Canelo Alvarez ranks fifth with a total of $89 million earned from only two fights: against Caleb Plant, where he was crowned Undisputed World Super middleweight Champion, and the most recent, against Dmitry Bivol.
Canelo Alvarez was only surpassed by true sports stars such as Los Angeles Lakers star Lebron James, Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo, and PSG's attacking duo Lionel Messi of Argentina and Brazilian Neymar Jr.
As for combat sports, such as boxing and Mixed Martial Arts, there seems to be no fighter who can beat Canelo Alvarez, as he is followed in earnings by Tyson Fury with $69 million, Conor McGregor with $52 million and Jake Paul with $37 million. The top 10 highest earning athletes as of May 2021 are as follows.
1. Lebron James - $126.9 million
2. Lionel Messi - $122 million
3. Cristiano Ronaldo - $115 million
4. Neymar Jr - $103 million
5. Canelo Alvarez - $89 million
6. Stephen Curry - $86.2 million
7. Kevin Durant - $85.9 million
8. Roger Federer - $85.7 million
9. James Harden - $76 million
10. Tiger Woods - $73.5 million
