Floyd Mayweather Vs. Mike Tyson: How One Lost $300M While The Other Built A Billion

Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather lived boxing’s richest lives, but with opposite endings. Tyson blew through mansions, tigers, and gold bathtubs until bankruptcy wiped him out. Mayweather turned every fight into a cash machine, stacking over a billion before walking away undefeated.

Tyson’s Spending Spree That Crashed Into Bankruptcy

Tyson’s wealth didn’t just disappear—it was burned through with shocking speed. He spent millions on mansions, a $2 million gold bathtub, Bengal tigers with $125,000-a-year trainers, and dropped $240,000 a month in walking-around money. Cars were bought in batches—sometimes 20 at a time—and given away like toys.

The promoter Don King has often been linked to Tyson’s financial collapse. In 1998, Tyson sued King for $100 million, alleging unfair contracts and excessive fees that drained his earnings. He later settled for $14 million, according to the New York Times and CBS. Add in the IRS garnishing purses straight from the source, and Tyson’s downfall became all but inevitable.

Even with career earnings of $443 million (roughly $700 million today), he was broke. His biggest payday came against Lennox Lewis in 2002—$103 million, $75 million of that from pay-per-view bonuses.

In 2010, Tyson summed up his collapse on The View:

“I’m totally destitute and broke. But I have an awesome life… I’m very grateful.”

Mayweather’s Billion-Dollar Blueprint

Floyd “Money” Mayweather took the opposite approach. A perfect 50–0 record, world titles in five divisions, and the brains to promote himself through Mayweather Promotions. He didn’t just fight—he turned every bout into a global spectacle.

His two mega-events—Manny Pacquiao in 2015 ($250M) and Conor McGregor in 2017 ($300M)—alone brought in more than half a billion. By retirement, he had crossed the $1 billion mark, one of only a handful of athletes ever to do so.

Mayweather once told an ESPN reporter, while flashing his phone:

“One account, baby,” showing $123 million in a single checking account.

He’s bought an $18 million watch, a $60 million Gulfstream jet, and luxury homes in Las Vegas and Beverly Hills. But unlike Tyson, he never let the spending sink him.

Floyd Mayweather Career Earnings

Floyd Mayweather’s biggest purses tell the story of how he turned boxing into a billion-dollar empire. In 2007, his fight with Oscar De La Hoya made him a household name and earned him around $25 million. Against Ricky Hatton, he added another $20 million, while his technical win over Juan Manuel Márquez brought in about $25 million more.

By 2012, the numbers skyrocketed. His battle with Miguel Cotto brought in roughly $40 million, and the huge clash with Canelo Álvarez earned him $75 million. But the two mega-events defined his career: Manny Pacquiao in 2015 (about $250 million) and Conor McGregor in 2017 (a staggering $300 million). Even exhibitions proved lucrative, with the Logan Paul fight reportedly paying him around $35 million.

When you add his other 11 fights and exhibitions, Mayweather’s total career earnings sit at $1.027 billion, according to Business Insider, Celebrity Net Worth– Very few athletes in history — in any sport — have reached that milestone.

Tyson vs Mayweather: Side-by-Side

Net Worth (2025)

Career Earnings

Biggest Payday

Spending Habits

• Tyson: Mansions, $2M bathtub, tigers, $240K/month cash burn

• Mayweather: $18M watch, $60M jet, luxury mansions—but controlled

Promoter Issues

IRS / Debt

• Tyson: Bankrupt in 2003, $23M debt

• Mayweather: Liquid—once flashed $123M in a single bank account

Ring Legacy

• Tyson: Youngest heavyweight champ, 50–6 (44 KOs), feared puncher

• Mayweather: Undefeated, 50–0 (27 KOs), 5-division champ, PPV king

Financial Legacy

• Tyson: Chaos, excess, recovery

• Mayweather: Control, calculation, empire

My Take: Two Legends, Two Lessons

Mike Tyson was pure electricity — the youngest heavyweight champion in history, a man who struck fear before the first punch even landed. He gave boxing unforgettable nights of chaos and raw power. But outside the ropes, his fortune collapsed under reckless spending, shady contracts, and bad advice.

Floyd Mayweather, though, changed the game. He wasn’t just undefeated in the ring — he was undefeated in business. By promoting himself, owning his brand, and turning every fight into a global event, he built a billion-dollar empire. Mayweather showed fighters that control is everything: control of the ring, control of the purse, control of the legacy.

Today, every young fighter chasing a fortune studies Mayweather’s playbook. He became the model of how to win inside the ropes and stay rich outside of them. Tyson will always be remembered as the sport’s most feared heavyweight. But Mayweather left something bigger — a blueprint for boxing’s future.