How much money did Muhammad Ali make from boxing?

How much money did Muhammad Ali make from boxing?

The amount that "The Greatest of All Time" has earned not only from fighting in the ring

Muhammad Ali is one of the greatest boxers of all time. For many, even he is the greatest. In his professional career, which began in 1960, he had 61 fights, of which he won 56, 37 by knockout, and had only five losses, only one of which was by knockout. His refusal to participate in the Vietnam War made him a darling of the peace crowd, but it certainly prevented him from having an even greater career. Ali managed to win both of his world heavyweight titles in 1964 and made 11 successful defenses before his rights were suspended for a period of time because of his views on US actions in the Asian country.

Muhammad became an inspiration for generations of boxers after him, including Mike Tyson. During his career, "The Great Ali" witnessed some of the most exciting matches and, logically, made quite a bit of money from the sport. Of course, the years in which he competed were not years in which millions were paid for just one match, but still the competitor amassed an enviable fortune from some matches. In the following lines, we will try to find out how much Ali actually earned from boxing.

The sum is said to be $60 million, which for over 60 fights in the professional ring isn't much at all, but for the humble kid from Louisville, it's a sum that may exceed even his wildest expectations. During the strongest period of his career, he did not receive very spectacular royalties. On the contrary, he even has financial difficulties and is forced to look for other occupations when a court in the state of New York suspends his rights for three years.

Immediately after his return to the ring, however, he reached the amount of 2.5 million for the match with Joe Frazier, in which he suffered his first defeat. This is the first boxing match from which Ali managed to earn more than a million dollars. Three years later came a new record for him, a fee of 5.45 US dollars for the fight with the giant George Foreman, held on African territory, more precisely in the capital of then Zaire (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo) Kinshasa. In 1980, the promoters managed to guarantee "The Great Ali" 7.9 million from the fight with Larry Holmes. If inflation is taken into account, these amounts can be set at 15, 26 and 22 million these days. Something we know is far from impossible when it comes to not only one of the best fighters, but also a figure with huge public influence.

Outside the ring, Ali has significant income from his company GOAT ("Greatest of All Time", translated into Bulgarian - "Greatest of All Time"). They amount to four to seven million a year. However, this happens beyond his career, but in this way he guarantees himself, as well as his family, a better life, supplemented by financial receipts. Amounts from advertising contracts with giants such as Adidas and Electronic Arts bring further dividends for the boxer. Of course, that money wasn't made directly from the in-ring matches, but his career was influential in getting there.

On top of all that, he managed to make $50 million from a stock sale in 2006. The deal puts him at number 13 on Forbes magazine's list of the top 100 most influential people.

After Ali's death in June 2016, his fortune was estimated at $50 million. This is helped by the two autobiographies in which Muhammad has a huge role, since besides being a talented boxer, he is also good at writing. Ali is also known for his two nominations for the Grammy Music Award, which only emphasizes his well-rounded personality.

The great boxing career did not bring Muhammad Ali huge income from the matches in which he boxed, but it helped him win important advertising contracts, create a powerful company and amass a huge fortune, which is not without a suitable legacy.