Conor McGregor leads Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury in race to become billionaire

Conor McGregor has been backed to become a billionaire after selling a stake in his whiskey company.

The former two-weight UFC champion will share in a $600million windfall with his agent Audie Attar and their partner Ken Austin.

McGregor will remain involved with the business while seeing his net worth increase to close to $300m.

The bulk of his fortune has been amassed in the ring with McGregor earning close to $100m from his fight with Floyd Mayweather in 2017.

He has also earned millions from his UFC career and is now guaranteed upwards of $20m per fight.

Reacting to his most recent business deal, McGregor's spokeswoman said: "The terms of the agreement are confidential, however, the most important thing is Conor McGregor will remain a stakeholder of Proper No. Twelve, the brand that will make him a billionaire."

McGregor also has a brand outside of the sport and earns money through his endorsements with Beats by Dre, Monster Energy, EA, Burger King and Reebok.

The Dubliner is already the wealthiest active fighter, ahead of boxing heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

Joshua was backed to become a boxing billionaire five years ago by former heavyweight Scott Welch.

“I believe that Anthony Joshua will be the first billionaire fighter. I really do believe that," he told the Daily Telegraph.

“Floyd Mayweather has earned £500 or £600million, Mike Tyson earned £300-odd million 20 or 30 years ago. This guy, as a heavyweight, has got the potential to be the first billionaire fighter.

"He's going to rule for the next eight or nine years. Within six months to a year he'll be unbeatable."

Joshua has gone ton to establish himself as a pay-per-view star and will earn over £75m from his proposed clash with Fury this summer.

Earlier this year he became the UK's first £100m boxer when his company Sparta Promotions has posted massive profits over the past 12 months thanks to his success in the ring.

Watford-born Joshua’s business assets have grown by over £60m and now stand at an eye-watering £109m

According to Sparta’s recently-filed latest accounts, he banked £57.35m between February 2019 and 2020 from fights.

Joshua also pocketed an extra £6.55m from marketing, sponsorship and endorsements.

Figures reveal the business turned over £63.9m for the year and made a gross profit of £57.9 million.

Fury's net worth, meanwhile, hit £40m last year as he was crowned world champion for a second time.

Accounts for Tyson Fury Limited show a bank balance of £40.05m, up from £6.6m the year before.

But despite his wealth, Fury paid himself a dividend of just £2,000, down from £40,000 12 months previously.

The accounts, filed up to March last year, will cover Fury's two boxing fights in 2019 against Tom Schwarz and Otto Wallin, his WWE debut against Brawn Strowman, and his stunning win over Deontay Wilder.

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