Knock Out: Here Are Six Star Boxers Engaged in Philanthropy
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Floyd Mayweather, Jr. A.RICARDO/shutterstock
In 2023, the top 50 highest-earning athletes earned about $3.44 billion over the previous 12 months before taxes and agents’ fees. This figure, tracked by Forbes, has soared in recent years. The previous year, that number was $2.97 billion, and in 2021, $2.8 billion.
We’ve been keeping an eye on these athletes for a while now, not just because of what they do on the court/on the field or the amount of money they make, but because of the enormous power they have through their platforms and their ability to make social impact.
Athletes can and have been making that impact in several key ways: Some sports stars are using their social media accounts to raise awareness of a cause and galvanizing others to give. Other stars are donating to charities through individual giving. And other stars are standing up foundations of their own, taking on causes they value including education, youth sports and mental health.
While we’ve broken down top philanthropic players in the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB, one realm we haven’t fully tackled yet is boxing. There is serious wealth being made by the world’s top pugilists, with boxers like Oscar De La Hoya ($200 million estimated net worth), Manny Pacquiao ($220 million estimated net worth), and Canelo ($250 million estimated net worth) among the wealthiest.
But when it comes to philanthropy, which boxers are putting their fortunes and fame to work? Here’s a list of six top boxers who are supporting important causes.
Sugar Ray Leonard
Lower weight maestro and 1976 Olympic gold medalist Sugar Ray Leonard is worth $120 million by some estimates. He started the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation in 2009 along with his wife Bernadette. The foundation is laser-focused on funding research and care for pediatric type 1 and 2 diabetes and creating awareness for the diseases. They’ve provided ongoing support for the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and have partnered with the American Heart Association. In order to fund its work, the foundation engages in major boxing fundraising events.
Oscar De La Hoya
Oscar De La Hoya is a storied former professional boxer who won gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and defeated 17 world champions. He is also owns Golden Boy Promotions, a national boxing promotional company. He started the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation in 1995, which aims to improve the quality of life for at-risk individuals in his hometown of East Los Angeles. The foundation made a seven-figure commitment to Green Dot Public Schools to create the Oscar De La Hoya Ánimo Charter High School in 2003. Other grantees have included the Cecilia Gonzalez De La Hoya Cancer Center, named after De La Hoya’s mother who passed away from the disease; and Coffee 4 Kids Honduras, which aims to help children and their families.
Manny Pacquiao
Hailing from Manila, standing at 5 foot 5 inches, wearing — OK, you get the point. Manny Pacquiao is one of the most electric boxers of his generation, who even dabbled in politics as a senator in his native Philippines. His Manny Pacquiao Foundation aims to empower communities at a global scale, including building hundreds of homes for needy families and partnering on the ground with nonprofits like Chameleon Association and Fundlife International to protect young girls vulnerable to sexual abuse and survivors of sexual violence.
Badou Jack
Gambian-Swedish boxer Badou Jack started the Badou Jack Foundation to help children in need around the world. The foundation runs food and nutrition programs, partnering with Ripper Nutrition, to provide healthy, daily meals and clean water to children. It also started the Badou Jack Education Center, launched in Jordan’s Baqaa Refugee Camp in Jordan, and an orphan mentor program. The foundation has been particularly focused on providing aid in Syria, Palestine and across the Middle East, as well as in his native Gambia, where they partnered with Spot Project to open up an orphanage.
George Foreman
If you don’t know the former heavyweight champion from his time in the ring, you likely know him from his entrepreneurship. His George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine has sold over 100 million units around the world. Foreman launched George Foreman Youth and Community Center in 1983 as a safe space for at-risk kids. The boxer himself was born in an impoverished area in Houston, so the Foreman Charitable Foundation focuses on his Texas community, including providing scholarships for local youth.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The fiery boxer started the Floyd Mayweather Jr. Foundation, which focuses on several key areas including cultivating youth leadership, promoting health and wellness, and fostering entrepreneurship. The foundation has supported Opportunity Village in Nevada, which aims to serve people throughout our community with developmental disabilities; and Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth (NPHY). The foundation’s Fight4YourEducation initiative aims to empower and encourage kids throughout the school year. “I want you all to grow up and be the best at what you do! Don’t focus on being the next Floyd Mayweather or anyone else. I want you to be better than me or whomever you think is the best at what they do,” Mayweather writes on his website.
