While Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather and David Beckham might be two of the richest athletes of all time, NBA superstar Michael Jordan’s net worth is almost double their earnings... COMBINED.
Having played 15 seasons in the NBA, winning a whopping six championships with the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan is one of the most decorated athletes in history.
Likewise, Mayweather and Beckham are also regarded as sporting royalty, with the former having achieved a flawless 50-0 fight record, while the ex-England football captain won a phenomenal six Premier League titles and a Champions League with Manchester United.
But despite their success in each sporting discipline, neither can measure up to Michael Jordan on the money list, who has, according to Forbes, a real-time net worth of £1.32bn.
During a star-studded career that saw MJ play for both the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards, Jordan reportedly earned £66m just from his basketball salaries.
His real wealth came from his business ventures off the court, which have grown exponentially since his retirement in 1999.
Forbes reports that the 58-year-old has earned a whopping $1.8bn from corporate partnerships with Nike, Hanes and Gatorade over the past 30 years.
The basketball legend is most famous for his Nike Air Jordan clothing and trainer brand, which has recently partnered with Parisian football club Paris Saint-Germain to provide their 2021-22 home kit.
His deal with Nike is perhaps one of the most lucrative endorsements in sporting history and has earned Jordan approximately £1bn since 1984, when he first joined the Chicago Bulls.
That leaves his net wealth much greater than both Mayweather and Beckham combined.
Footballing icon and global superstar David Beckham had an illustrious career on the pitch, which helped him grow his net worth to approximately £326m.
After marrying pop-sensation Victoria Beckham, the pair rose to global stardom, and Becks has since partnered up with the likes of adidas, H&M, City, Breitling and Calvin Klein.
He is also a co-owner of the American Soccer franchise Inter Miami FC, which he purchased at a price of £18m back in 2007.
Floyd Mayweather also has a net worth of £326m, and ranks as the ninth highest-paid athlete of all time.
Perhaps what’s most impressive about Mayweather’s takings is that he, unlike many other athletes, amassed his wealth mostly through his winnings inside the ring, with the 44-year-old having earned only £7m in partnerships and endorsements.
Most of that money came from his two fights against Manny Pacquiao in 2015 and Conor McGregor in 2017, where he earned just under £500m from both fights.
Mayweather and Beckham’s net worth totals to around £650m, which is much less than Michael Jordan’s £1.3bn in earnings, making Jordan worth double both of them combined.