ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Conor McGregor Named As World's Highest Paid Athlete By Forbes

Conor McGregor Named As World's Highest Paid Athlete By Forbes

The Irish fighting star has claimed the top spot in the list, beating the likes of Lionel Messi, Lewis Hamilton and Cristiano Ronaldo

Anonymous

Anonymous

Conor McGregor has beaten the competition to claim the top spot on Forbes' highest paid athlete list - earning a staggering $180 million (£127m) in the last year.

McGregor beat the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lewis Hamilton, having made a huge £106m for selling whiskey brand Proper 12, the Mirror reports.

On top of that he made £15m ($22m) in the ring, making him the first Irishman to top the elite list.

Conor McGregor in a fight against Dustin Poirier in January 2021.
PA

If only someone would pay me that much to go to the gym.

His earnings can also be attributed to his long list of endorsements including the game Dystopia: Contest of Heroes, DraftKings, and campaigns with Burger King and Monster Energy.

It's the third time ever than an athlete has made more than £49.5m via endorsements while competing in their chosen sport, with former stars reaching those heights including Tiger Woods and Roger Federer.

Roger Federer.
PA

Since the coronavirus pandemic, just three other athletes have hit $100m in earnings, despite sporting activity being curbed by lockdown and leading to less sponsorship deals.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo join McGregor in the top spot, alongside NFL quarterback Dak Prescott from the Dallas Cowboys.

Other familiar faces featuring in the top 10 list includes F1 star Sir Lewis Hamilton, NBA's LeBron James, Tom Brady and Kevin Durant.

Forbes put together the list by calculating the earnings, which include prize money, salaries and bonuses, of sports stars annually. This year, it was calculated on earnings between May 2020 and May 2021.

Lionel Messi.
PA

As for what to do with his earnings, McGregor is setting his sights high, having told fans at a Q&A session that he has discussed the possibility of buying football teams Manchester United and Celtic.

Words: Gemma Barlow

Featured Image Credit: PA