The World’s Top 5 Highest Paid Athletes In 2015

Of the top five richest on Forbes' list of the World's 100 Highest Paid Athletes come two stars in a sport that saw it's hay day decades ago, and one athlete that most Americans couldn't pick out of a lineup.

A pair of boxers, two footballers - European style - and a dominant tennis star makeup the top five on the 2015 Forbes richest athletes list:

5. Roger Federer - $67 million

While he's currently the ATP Men's second ranked tennis player, Roger Federer still tops his sport's money list. Chalk it up to the $58 million he's earning in endorsements from Rolex, Nike and Credit Suisse.

4. Lionel Messi - $73.8 million

The reaction of many Americans who aren't big fans of the soccer game may be something like this, 'Who?'. Lionel Messi - of FC Barcelona and captain of Argentina's national team - is arguably the greatest footballer of all-time. Unlike many who top the Forbes richest athletes list, Messi is actually paid more by his sport than he earns in endorsements - $51.8 million for play while earning $22 million from sponsors.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo - $79.6 million

Not only is he one of the richest athletes on the planet, he's probably the most popular. . Cristiano Ronaldo made a whopping $52.6 million this past year and another $27 million in endorsements. Named FIFA's best player in the world, Ronaldo's looks earn him a standing ovation from the ladies, many of whom are among his 102 million Facebook friends and 35 million twitter followers, Forbes reports.

2. Manny Pacquiao - $160 million

Despite coming up short in what was billed the Fight of the Century, Manny Pacquiao cashed in on his mega-fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. How about $125 million in a losing effort? Not bad for the Filipino fighter who also brought in another $12 million in endorsements from companies like Nike, Footlocker and, get this, Butterfinger, according to Forbes.

1. Floyd Mayweather Jr. - $300 million

Knowing that PacMan was second on the list of richest athletes should leave no surprise as to who made the most money this past year. The man who defeated Pacquiao, banking over $200 million in that fight alone, is called 'Money' for a reason. He's got more of it that any other professional athlete in the world. In reading the Forbes list for 2015, my only surprise was finding out he was paid $15 million in endorsements. That's a lot for a guy who is not well liked and seems to have faced more domestic abuse cases than legitimate bouts in the past few years.