Forbes magazine released its list of the world's highest earning sportspeople and the names that figured in the top ten may be alien to many Indians, who don't often look beyond cricket. Nevertheless, here are the ten men who've earned big bucks for being a good sport (quite literally)!
Source : Getty Images
Floyd Mayweather (#1) - Total earnings: $85 million. The American boxer has won eight world titles and remains undefeated as a professional boxer. Photo: Getty Images
Source : Getty Images
Manny Pacquiao (#2) - Total earnings: $62 million. The world's second highest paid athlete is also a boxer. The Filipino sportsman is also a politician! Photo: Getty Images
Source : Getty Images
Tiger Woods (#3) - Total earnings: $59.4 million. Controversy seems to have had no effect on Tiger's earning power. He recently broke a 30-month winless streak. Photo: Getty Images
Source : Getty Images
LeBron James (#4) - Total earnings: $53 million. The basketball player is the NBA's most bankable star, and has deals with everyone, from Nike to Coca-Cola to Baskin Robbins. Photo: Getty Images
Source : Getty Images
Roger Federer (#5) - Total earnings: $52.7 million. Is it any wonder that the greatest tennis star of all time makes the top ten list? We're not surprised! Photo: Getty Images
Source : Getty Images
Kobe Bryant (#6) - Total earnings: $52.3 million. The Lakers legend is a regular feature in NBA All-Star Games and it comes as no surprise that he figures on this list. Photo: Getty Images
Source : Getty Images
Phil Mickelson (#7) - Total earnings: $47.8 million. Yet another golfer makes the cut, and this one has an impressive course record of 40 PGA victories and four major titles. Photo: Getty Images
Source : Getty Images
David Beckham (#8) - Total earnings: $46 million. Even though the sun is about to set on Beckham's professional career, he's still going strong for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Photo: Getty Images
Source : Getty Images
Cristiano Ronaldo (#9) - Total earnings: $42.5 million. Real Madrid's shining star is cleaning up on the football pitch and off it too. No wonder he looks so cocky every time he sends the ball soaring past the goalie! Photo: Getty Images
Source : Getty Images
Peyton Manning (#10) - Total earnings: $42.4 million. The American football player may be suffering from an injury but that hasn't left a dent in his paycheck! Photo: Getty Images
Source : Getty Images
Other famous sportspeople who made the list include Argentine striker Lionel Messi (#11), Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal (#16), racer Fernando Alonso (#19), F1 legend Michael Schumacher (#20), tennis beauty Maria Sharapova (#26), Team India skipper MS Dhoni (#31, in picture), Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic (#62), sprinter Usain Bolt (#63) and Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar (#78). Photo: Getty Images
