10 Boxers Who'll Take over as Big-Money Draws When Pacquiao, Mayweather Leave

As Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, the two most financially successful boxers of the last decade, are set to retire within the next few years, all eyes will turn to the up-and-coming fighters who will take their place among the top cash cows in boxing.

Some are already proving their worth, while others have shown flashes of greatness that could net them big-money paydays.

Here are the 10 boxers who have what it takes to become boxing's next money makers once its kings leave the ring for good.

1. Andre Ward

Despite an Olympic gold medal and an impressive 26-0 record as a pro, super middleweight champion Andre Ward has found it tough to generate much excitement about his boxing career.

This was, until his dismantling of light heavyweight champ Chad Dawson this past August, and the buzz has finally been generated around Ward's name.

With as much skill as anyone in the fight game at the moment, Ward is poised to have a long undefeated streak to the likes of current pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather.

Look for Ward to be at the top of the various P4P lists in the coming years and raking in top-tier paydays as well.

2. Adrien Broner

With solid boxing skills, knockout power and enough charisma to make Floyd Mayweather jealous, junior welterweight title holder Adrien Broner has all the makings of a big star.

The 23-yer-old Cincinnati, Ohio native has amassed a record of 24-0 with 20 KO's and has made it known that he possesses the gift of gab that is needed to create a superstar.

Many compare Broner to current the current top cash cow, Floyd Mayweather, due to his undeniable natural ability in the ring and vibrant personality. If Broner's career continues to flourish at its current pace, there is no reason why Broner can't have a career that mirrors what Mayweather has compiled thus far.

If Broner does not let his cockiness in the ring put a blemish on his unbeaten record, his ascent to the top of money-earners should only be a matter of time.

3. Nonito Donaire

Being dubbed the next Pacquiao, Filipino boxer Nonito Donaire has the power and boxing fundamentals to actually live up to the tremendous hype that has been placed in his shoulders.

Already a three-division champion, the "Filipino Flash" will have to follow in Pacquiao's footsteps and gradually step up in weight to continue to face worthy opponents.

There a few more attractive fights at the 122-pound junior featherweight division with boxers such as Abner Mares and Guillermo Rigondeaux, but after that, Donaire must move up to the 126-pound division, where more big names wait in the balance.

It is not out of the question that once his career is said and done that Donaire will be a five or six-division champ, proving those that named him the next Pacquiao were right all along.

Donaire should start inching up the payday list each time he fights, and once Floyd Mayweather and Pacquiao are through with boxing, Donaire could very well be atop the cash-cow list.

4. Chad Dawson

Chad Dawson did lose his last bout to Andre Ward, but that meant Dawson going down in weight from light heavyweight to super middleweight and going to Ward's hometown of Oakland, Calif. to do so.

You can't take anything away from Ward's masterful performance, but that was not the best possible Dawson we could have seen, so expect Dawson to bounce back in his next bout.

Dawson (31-2, 17 KOs) has the name and the resume to demand hefty paydays, and with a string of solid bounce-back performances, Dawson's star and his bank account should rise as time goes on.

5. Miguel Cotto

The only man on this list to have actually fought both current cash cows, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto has fought the best available fighters over the past few years and has built up quite the following doing so.

Two of Cotto's three losses came at the hands of Mayweather and Pacquiao, and the other lone loss came from a controversial bout with Antonio Margarito—a loss Cotto avenged in December of 2011 via Round 11 TKO.

Margarito is widely thought to have had a cast-like hand wrap for his bout with Cotto, and it's believed that the hand wraps aided him in beating Cotto's face to a bloody mess.

With the 31-year-old Cotto already fighting as a pro for the past 11 years, he won't have as lengthy of a time in the ring as the other fighters on this list once Mayweather and Pacquiao are out of the sport.

Cotto is already among the top earning fighters in boxing, so there is no reason to believe that once Mayweather and Pacquiao are retired that Cotto won't be one of the top, if not the top earning fighter in the sport.

6. Andre Berto

Andre Berto has the skills and and power to to be one of boxing's biggest stars as long as he stays clean and does not have anymore positive drug tests like the one he had this past March.

Berto already demands seven-figure paydays, and if he can string together some impressive victories over the next couple of years, there is no doubt Berto can be a top-earning fighter post-Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao.

7. Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez maybe only be 22 years old, but he has already made a huge imprint on the sport of boxing and has built quit a large Hispanic fanbase as well.

As Alavarez's wins continue to come, his star power in boxing will continue to rise, making him one of the more likely young prospects to become a bonafide superstar once Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao leave the sport.

There is a buzz at the moment that somewhere within the foreseeable future, Mayweather and "Canelo" will meet in the ring. If the fight does happen then win, lose or draw, fighting Mayweather will only help Alvarez's career in the future.

8. Brandon Rios

Brandon Rios is a fighter known for his willingness to stand and trade shots with his opponents, always offering a exciting fight, and that is one of the easiest ways to become a star in a sport known for its brutality.

Rios (31-0-1, 23 KOs) is coming off what should be the Fight of the Year with Mike Alvarado on October 13, and with more instant classics like that, the future is very bright for the 26-year-old Rios.

With Rios and his brawling ways, there is always a chance that he will get caught with a knockout shot. If Rios does indeed end up on the wrong side of a knockout, his career won't suffer too much, as long as he doesn't find himself on the canvas too often.

With his fan pleasing style, Rios should rake in hefty paydays each and every time he fights, as his high-action bouts are must-see TV.

9. Victor Ortiz

Despite losing his bout with Josesito Lopez this past June due to a broken jaw, welterweight fighter Victor Ortiz has the personality and the power to work his way to becoming a top-earning fighter a few years down the line.

Ortiz (29-4-2, 22 KOs) was knocked out by Floyd Mayweather in their controversial fight in September of 2011, but that fight gained him worldwide exposure and gained him fans despite the loss.

Being 25 years old helps Ortiz, as he is young enough to be able to bounce back from consecutive losses without being written off too quickly.

Once Ortiz's jaw is healed, he is primed to land a few big fights, and with a few wins, Ortiz should be a top moneymaker once Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are out of the ring for good.

10. Timothy Bradley

Timothy Bradley already has a win over Manny Pacquiao on his record (although it is widely believed he lost their June bout), and with a potential rematch down the line, Bradley's career should continue to rise despite his tactical fighting style that leads to fights that are not all that exciting.

Bradley (29-0, 12 KOs) can be compared to Floyd Mayweather, as he is a technically-sound and smart fighter in the ring, just as is the five-division champ. But one thing that Bradley lacks that Mayweather posses is a vibrant personality that helps gain fans.

The HBO series 24/7 that led up to the Bradley-Pacquiao showed the world he has more of a personality than originally thought, and he gained fans in the process.

Look for Bradley to continue to keep his undefeated record intact, and even if he loses a potential rematch with Pacquiao, it will be his first loss as a pro, and his career will not be affected too much.