Boxing’s best-paid losers as Conor McGregor, Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao raked in millions despite defeats
BOXING’S best-paid losers have been revealed – with Conor McGregor top of the pile ahead of legendary trio Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya and Mike Tyson.
The Irish UFC fighter stepped into the boxing ring in 2017 to challenge the five-weight world champ Floyd Mayweather Jr.
He held his own in the early stages of the professional bout before the unbeaten American took his record to 50-0 with a TKO one minute into the tenth round.
But for his 28 minutes inside the ropes, the 0-1 McGregor pocketed a tidy £22million – the biggest sum a boxer has received for losing a fight.
According to 888sport figures, which are not adjusted for inflation, Pacquiao is second on the list, earning £19m from his 2012 defeat to Juan Manuel Marquez.
And then comes a bittersweet hat-trick for De La Hoya.
His biggest losing payday was in 2007 against Mayweather, banking £17m after the split decision went against him.
The USA fighter also took home £15m for his 1999 loss against Felix Trinidad – £24.6m in today’s money, the most when inflation is considered – and £14m against Pacquiao in 2008.
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Tyson is sixth on the list at £13m after he was KO’d by Lennox Lewis in 2002 as the Brit retained his WBC, IBF, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles.
Iron Mike inflicted a brutal first-round KO upon Michael Spinks in 1988 – 14 years earlier – which saw the loser bag £10m.
Wladimir Klitschko’s dramatic 2017 defeat at Wembley to Anthony Joshua earned the Ukrainian £9m, slightly more than George Foreman got after losing to Evander Holyfield 26 years earlier.
And completing the top ten, with the earliest fight on the list way back in 1987, is Marvin Hagler.
He lost a controversial split-decision fight but did win a bumper packet of a tidy £8m then hung up his boxing gloves in retirement without another fight.
Ricky Hatton’s 2009 loss to Pacquiao, Andy Ruiz Jr’s rematch with AJ in 2019 and this year’s defeat for Billy Joe Saunders at the hands of Canelo Alvarez are all within the top 20.
