Two Nigerians namely Anthony Joshua and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named on the 2023 Forbes list of highest-paid athletes in the world.
The British professional boxer, Joshua made no. 28 on the list of highest-paid athletes in the world with total earnings of N53M while the basketball star, Giannis is no. 11 with total earnings of $87.6M.
Highlight on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s career
In December 2020, Antetokounmpo agreed to a supermax extension with the Bucks worth $228 million for five years, allowing him to opt out after the fourth year.
Antetokounmpo achieved the NBA’s MVP title for both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, in addition to being named the defensive player of the year for the latter season.
The first MVP recognition led to substantial bonuses from sponsors like Nike, who renewed their contract with the Greek Freak in 2017.
Nike launched the Zoom Freak 1 in 2019, marking the largest initial release of a signature shoe in Nike basketball history.
In 2020, Disney secured the rights to create a film based on Antetokounmpo’s life, similar to “The Blind Side.” The movie, titled “Rise,” premiered on Disney+ in June 2022.
He is sponsored by the following brands: Amazon, Breitling, Come Ready Foods LLC, Epic Games, Google, JBL, Meta, Nike, and Unilever.
And that’s how Giannis made it to the 2023 Forbes list of highest-paid athletes in the world.
Highlight of Anthony Joshua’s career
Joshua achieved an undefeated streak of 22 professional victories and held the world heavyweight championship from 2016 to 2019, until a remarkable defeat at the hands of Andy Ruiz Jr.
Later in 2019, the British fighter successfully redeemed himself with a unanimous decision, avenging his previous loss. However, Joshua faced two losses against Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022.
Nonetheless, he regained his momentum with a victory over Jermaine Franklin in April 2023. Joshua boasts an extensive social media presence, amassing a staggering 26 million followers across platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
He is sponsored by the following brands: Audemars Piguet, DAZN, and Under Armour.
