The United Press International Male Athlete of the Year Award was awarded each year from 1974 to 1995. The winners were decided by a panel of sportswriters and editors from around the world associated with United Press International. See also the winners of the Female Award.

Year Athlete Nationality Sport
1995 Jonathan Edwards UK Athletics (triple jump)
1994 Johann Olav Koss Norway Speed skating
1993 Miguel Indurain Spain Road cycling
1992 Kevin Young USA Athletics
1991 Sergey Bubka USSR Athletics
1990 Stefan Edberg Sweden Tennis
1989 Boris Becker West Germany Tennis
1988 Matt Biondi USA Swimming
1987 Ben Johnson Canada Athletics (sprints)
1986 Diego Maradona Argentina Football
1985 Steve Cram UK Athletics
1984 Carl Lewis USA Athletics
1983 Carl Lewis USA Athletics
1982 Daley Thompson UK Athletics
1981 Sebastian Coe UK Athletics
1980 Eric Heiden USA Speed skating
1979 Sebastian Coe UK Athletics
1978 Henry Rono Kenya Athletics
1977 Alberto Juantorena Cuba Athletics
1976 Alberto Juantorena Cuba Athletics
1975 João Carlos de Oliveira Brazil Athletics
1974 Muhammad Ali USA Boxing