A single night in the ring — or a single deal — can be worth more than most people earn in a lifetime. This page tracks the biggest single paydays among the athletes and entertainers profiled on Net Worth VIP, from record-shattering fight purses to one-off windfalls, ranked by size. Every entry links to a fully sourced profile.
| Celebrity | Date | Amount | Net worth (2026) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mel Gibson | 2004 | $450M | $425M | Self-financed the film, which grossed about $600 million worldwide, for a personal payday reported in the $400-475 million range. source |
| Floyd Mayweather | 2017-08 | $275M | $400M | Reportedly earned $275-300 million for the boxing crossover bout. source |
| Steven Spielberg | 1993 | $250M | $7.1B | Took about $10 million upfront plus a share of the gross, for a payday reported near $250 million. source |
| Floyd Mayweather | 2015-05 | $250M | $400M | Reportedly earned around $250 million for what was then the richest fight in history. source |
| Manny Pacquiao | 2015-05 | $130M | $220M | Reportedly earned around $130 million for the richest fight in history at the time. source |
| Tyson Fury | 2024-05 | $100M | $200M | Reported guarantee around $100 million (roughly £81 million) for the first Usyk fight, which he lost. source |
| Conor McGregor | 2017-08 | $100M | $200M | Reportedly grossed around $100 million (a $30 million guaranteed purse plus pay-per-view and other income) for the crossover boxing bout. source |
| Anthony Joshua | 2025-12 | $92M | $285M | The Miami bout carried a reported total purse near $184 million split roughly evenly, about $92 million each (leaked, not officially confirmed). source |
| Jake Paul | 2025-12 | $92M | $80M | The Miami bout carried a reported total purse near $184 million split roughly evenly, about $92 million each (leaked, not officially confirmed). source |
| Tyson Fury | 2024-12 | $85M | $200M | Reported purse around £67 million for the December rematch, before UK tax. source |
| Anthony Joshua | 2019-12 | $57.5M | $285M | Estimated $57.5 million for the Diriyah rematch he won to reclaim his heavyweight titles. source |
| Anthony Joshua | 2024-03 | $50M | $285M | Estimated $50 million for the Riyadh knockout win over Francis Ngannou. source |
| Tyson Fury | 2023-10 | $50M | $200M | Reportedly paid up to $50 million for the Riyadh crossover fight. source |
| Conor McGregor | 2018-10 | $50M | $200M | Reportedly earned around $50 million for the biggest pay-per-view event in UFC history. source |
| Jake Paul | 2024-11 | $40M | $80M | Reportedly earned around $40 million for the Netflix event against Mike Tyson. source |
| Deontay Wilder | 2020-02 | $28M | $30M | Guaranteed around $28 million plus a 50/50 pay-per-view split for the second Fury fight. source |
| Mike Tyson | 2024-11 | $20M | $25M | Reportedly earned around $20 million for the Netflix event; the official guaranteed purse was $2 million plus back-end. source |
| Deontay Wilder | 2021-10 | $20M | $30M | Guaranteed $20 million plus a 40% pay-per-view share for the trilogy bout. source |
| Manny Pacquiao | 2025-07 | $18M | $220M | At age 46, fought Barrios to a majority draw for a total payday estimated at $17-20 million including PPV. source |
| Ronda Rousey | 2016-12 | $4.9M | $14M | Her largest single UFC payday, about $4.88 million, including $3 million just to show up. source |
| Ronda Rousey | 2026-05 | $2.2M | $14M | Reported $2.2 million purse for her 17-second armbar win on Netflix's first live MMA card. source |
Figures are reported estimates aggregated from the sources cited in each row; fight paydays often combine a guaranteed purse with pay-per-view shares, so totals can vary by source. See our methodology. Related: celebrities who went bankrupt.