The retired boxer Floyd Mayweather has reclaimed first place from Cristiano Ronaldo in Forbes’ 2018 list of the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes – but for the first time since 2010 there was not a single female on the list.

Serena Williams, winner of 23 grand slam tennis singles titles, was the sole female representative last year but she has since largely been inactive, owing to pregnancy and giving birth to her daughter Alexis in September. Though still substantial, her $18m (£13.4m) off-court earnings from sponsors were insufficient for her to make the top 100.

Mayweather’s significant earnings from last year’s fight with the Irishman Conor McGregor made him the world’s best paid for the fourth time in seven years, with $285m (£212.8m). The Real Madrid forward Ronaldo ($108m/£80.6m) fell to third behind his rival Lionel Messi ($111m/£82.9m). The mixed martial artist McGregor and Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar were fourth and fifth, respectively.

LeBron James (basketball), Roger Federer (tennis), Stephen Curry (basketball), Matt Ryan (American football) and Matthew Stafford (American football) concluded the top 10, with 12th-placed Lewis Hamilton the highest-placed from the UK. The world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua was the second highest-earning British athlete, one place in front of the golfer Rory McIlroy.