NEW YORK (AP/WHDH) — Athletes in Boston are raking in the money, according to a new Forbes report.
Celtics point guard Kyries Irving is the highest paid professional athlete in Boston, finishing as the 29th highest paid athlete worldwide.
Irving makes more than $36 million, with about $19 million coming from his salary and winnings, along with $17 million from endorsements.
Celtics forward Gordon Hayward is the second highest paid player in Boston (46th overall), followed by Red Sox pitcher David Price (47th overall) and Celtics center Al Horford (51st overall).
Floyd Mayweather is still the champ at making money.
Forbes magazine reported Tuesday that the boxer is the highest paid athlete for the fourth time in seven years. His estimated earnings for 2017, including endorsements, were $285 million. That stems largely from his bout last August with UFC’s Conor McGregor.
Mayweather overtook soccer great Cristiano Ronaldo, who held the money crown the previous two years.
Soccer players held three of the top five spots. Forbes says 40 basketball players were among the top 100 thanks to a “soaring salary cap triggered by the NBA’s $24 billion TV contract.”
Lionel Messi was No. 2 at $111 million, followed by Ronaldo at $108 million, McGregor at $99 million and Neymar at $90 million. Completing the top 10 were basketball’s LeBron James (85.5), tennis’s Roger Federer (77.2), basketball’s Stephen Curry (76.9) and quarterbacks Matt Ryan (67.3) and Matthew Stafford (59.5).
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