ACCORDING to Forbes, Floyd Mayweather tops the list of 100 highest-paid athletes in the world between 2011-2012,  losing out Tiger Woods who has been hailed by Forbes as the highest earning athlete from 2001-2011. Woods landed in the third rank with total earnings of $59.4 million. 

Mayweather got a huge payday amounting to a total of $85 million for his fights against Victor Ortiz with $40 million and Miguel Cotto with $45 million. He is part of the 4 biggest non-heavyweight pay-per-view events throughout the boxing history. He owns the Mayweather Promotions which he uses to promote his fight thereby increasing his earnings substantially.The total earnings of the athletes are derived from their bonuses, salaries, appearance fees, prize money, endorsement and licensing from June 2011 to June 2012. According to Forbes, the 100 highest-paid athletes made a combined $2.6 billion in the past 12 months. The athlete’s agent’s fees and taxes were not deducted from their earnings.1. Floyd MayweatherTotal Earnings between June 2011 to June 2012: $85 millionSalary/winnings: $85 millionEndorsements: $0Sport: Boxing, Age: 35Floyd Joy Mayweather, Jr., (born Floyd Sinclair; February 24, 1977) is an American professional boxer.He is a five-division world champion, where he has won eight world titles, as well as the Lineal Championship in three different weight classes.He is a two-time The Ring "Fighter of the Year,” winning the award in 1998 and 2007 also won the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) "Fighter of the Year” award in 2007 and Best Fighter ESPY Award 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012.He is undefeated as a professional boxer.2. Manny PacquaioTotal Earnings between June 2011 to June 2012: $62 millionSalary/winnings: $56 millionEndorsements: $6 million (Monster Energy, Hennessy, Nike, Hewlett-Packard)Sport: Boxing , Age: 33Emmanuel "Manny” Dapidran Pacquiao, born December 17, 1978 is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world champion, in which he has won ten world titles, as well as the first to win the Lineal Championship in four different weight classes.3. Tiger WoodsTotal Earnings between June 2011 to June 2012: $59.4 millionSalary/winnings: $4.4 millionEndorsements: $55 million (Nike)Sport: Golf, Age: 36Net Worth: $500 million – As of September 2010, according to ForbesEldrick Tont "Tiger” Woods born December 30, 1975 is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Woods turned professional in 1996, and by April 1997 he had already won his first major, the 1997 Masters in a record-breaking performance. He first reached the number one position in the world rankings in June 1997. Through the 2000s, Woods was the dominant force in golf, spending 264 weeks from August 1999 to September 2004 and 281 weeks from June 2005 to October 2010 as world number one.4. LeBron JamesTotal Earnings between June 2011 to June 2012: $53 millionSalary/winnings: $13 millionEndorsements: $40 million (Nike, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, State Farm and others)Sport: Basketball, Age: 27LeBron Raymone Jamesborn December 30, 1984 is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A six foot, eight inch small forward, he is an NBA champion, NBA Finals MVP, three-time NBA MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year. One of Miami’s co-captains, he is an eight-time NBA All-Star and has earned eight All-NBA honors and four All-Defensive honors.5. Roger FedererTotal Earnings between June 2011 to June 2012: $52.7 millionSalary/winnings: $7.7 millionEndorsements: $45 million (Nike, Rolex, Wilson, Credit Suisse)Sport: Tennis, Age: 30Roger Federerborn8 August 1981 is a Swiss professional tennis player widely considered the greatest tennis player of all time. He is currently ranked World number 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals. He owns several men’s world records of the Open Era: holding the number 1 position for 287 weeks overall;a 237-consecutive-week stretch at the top in 2004–2008; winning 17 Grand Slam singles titles; reaching the finals of each Grand Slam tournament at least five times (a record even pre-Open Era); and reaching the Wimbledon final eight times.6. Kobe BryantTotal Earnings between June 2011 to June 2012: $52.3 millionSalary/winnings: $20.3 millionEndorsements: $32 millionSport: Basketball, Age: 33Kobe Bean Bryantborn August 23, 1978 is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school basketball player in the country. He decided to declare his eligibility for the NBA Draft upon graduation, and was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.7. Phil MickelsonTotal Earnings between June 2011 to June 2012: $47.8 millionSalary/winnings: $4.8 millionEndorsements: $43 million (Callaway, Barclay’s, KPMG, Exxon, Rolex, Amgen/Pfizer)Sport: Golf, Age: 41Philip Alfred Mickelson born June 16, 1970 is an American professional golfer. He has won four major championships and a total of 40 events on the PGA Tour. He has reached a career high world ranking of 2nd in multiple years. He is nicknamed "Lefty” for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed. Mickelson was elected into the World Golf Hall of Fame in November 2011 and was inducted in May 20128. David BeckhamTotal Earnings between June 2011 to June 2012: $46 millionSalary/winnings: $9 millionEndorsements: $37 million (Burger King, Sainsbury’s, Samsung)Net Worth: £160 million ($260m) – As of April 2012, according to the Sunday Times Rich ListSport: Football, Age:37David Robert Joseph Beckham, born 2 May 1975 is an English association footballer who plays for Los Angeles Galaxy. He has played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, Milan, and the England national team for which he holds the appearance record for an outfield player.9. Cristiano RonaldoTotal Earnings between June 2011 to June 2012: $42.5 millionSalary/winnings: $20.5 millionEndorsements: $22 million (Nike, Castrol, Konami and others)Sport: Football, Age: 27Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro,(born 5 February 1985),commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguesefootballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team. Ronaldo became the most expensive footballer in history after moving from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a transfer worth £80 million (€93.9 million/$131.6 million). In addition, his contract with Real Madrid, in which he is paid €12 million per year, makes him one of the highest-paid footballers in the world,and his buyout clause is valued at €1 billion as per his contract.10. Peyton ManningTotal Earnings between June 2011 to June 2012: $42.4 millionSalary/winnings: $32.4 millionEndorsements: $10 million (Reebok, Sony, Wheaties, DirecTV, Gatorade, Papa John’s)Sport: Football (NFL)  , Age: 36Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American footballquarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Indianapolis Colts for 14 seasons from 1998–2011.