8 of the 13 highest Paid Athletes in North America 90-93 were Boxers.

Highest Paid Athletes in America
1990-1993

(Top 13) (Forbes) 1990-1993
Tyson
Jordan
George Foreman
Holyfield
Jack Nicklaus
Riddick Bowe
Douglas
Leonard
Joe Montana
Jim Courier
Shaq O’neal
Lennox Lewis
Tony Tucker

 

I always disliked the NFL theory, but it is very interesting how there were always more heavyweights in the top 20 highest paid athletes list... from the 70's to the mid 90's.. Than suddenly from that point on, NFL players took over.............

 

I just took away athletes from the other parts of the world.

For Example:
1990 (Forbes)
1. Mike Tyson boxing USA 28.6
2. Buster Douglas boxing USA 26.0
3. Sugar Ray Leonard boxing USA 13.0
4. Ayrton Senna auto racing Brazil 10.0
5. Alain Prost auto racing France 9.0
6. Jack Nicklaus golf USA 8.6
7 Greg Norman golf Australia 8.5
=8 Michael Jordan basketball USA 8.1
=8 Arnold Palmer golf USA 8.1
=8 Evander Holyfield boxing USA 8.1


So in America the list is
Tyson
Douglas
Leonard
Nicklaus
Jordan
Palmer
Holyfield

etc

Than the average earnings of the top 10 American athletes from from 90-93.

It is shocking to note that in 1990.. 4 of the top 7 earners were boxers.

 

The point is .. some people claim the 'NFL' was always bigger than heavyweight boxing when.. Forbes clearly prove that claim wrong based on the top salaries. The point is boxing was actually a PREMIER sport during the 80's and 90's not just the 20's and 60's-70's. It might have faded compare to the Golden Era but still very popular during the 80's and 90's.