MANILA, Philippines – Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao will probably go down in history as the richest Filipino athlete ever, thanks to his ring prowess and crossover appeal.
For years, Pacquiao has fought under the bright lights of Las Vegas – the world’s boxing capital – raking in millions in fight purses, pay-per-view revenues and gate receipts, and numerous product endorsements.
He has graced the pages of Forbes Magazine in its annual list of the richest athletes in the world. Pacquiao, whose humble beginnings as a skinny kid in General Santos City have been well reported, now boasts several properties in and out of the country and likewise has business interests.
Pacquiao’s fame and fortune has catapulted him to the House of Representatives, where he serves as a congressman of Sarangani district.
But let’s focus on how much the Filipino icon has earned in the ring. In the above infographic designed by Philstar.com design specialist RP Ocampo, Pacquiao’s purses starting from his 2001 US breakthrough against Lehlo Ledwaba to his bout with Timothy Bradley last June can be seen.
On Sunday, Pacquiao stands to take home at least $25 million against Juan Manuel Marquez, and this figure will even increase once the revenues from the pay-per-view buys and gate receipts at the MGM Grand come in.
It will Pacquiao’s biggest payday ever.
This is just plain incredible for a guy who once sold stolen cigarettes as a stowaway and fought professionally for peanuts early in his life.
Author’s note: The above figures are Pacquiao’s guaranteed purses for the corresponding fights, excluding his share from pay-per-view income and gate receipts, as applicable in some fights.