The Floyd Mayweather Jnr vs. Manny Pacquiao rematch is in the process of shifting the bout from The Sphere in Las Vegas to an MGM-affiliated venue, either T-Mobile Arena or MGM Grand Garden Arena, an official familiar with the switch told BoxingScene Wednesday.
The individual added that the date for the anticipated follow-up bout to the most lucrative prizefight in history said it may also change, from September 19 to mid-August.
Netflix is streaming the bout that will be contended as a professional match that will count as a win or loss for either Mayweather, 50-0, or Pacquiao, 62-8-3.
“It made no sense to put it at The Sphere – it’s not connected to a casino,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the evolving talks.
In addition to offering ticket packages to high-roller gamblers at its multiple properties along The Strip, MGM routinely stages fight-week events for its frequent run of high-profile boxing cards such as Saturday’s Cinco de Mayo weekend card at T-Mobile Arena.
Officials at Madison Square Garden-owned Sphere and at MGM did not immediately respond to questions on the matter from BoxingScene Wednesday.
T-Mobile Arena presently has the iHeart Radio event on its schedule September 19, but the venue is open on August 15 – the window when the official said the bout could be rescheduled.
The official said ticket buyers should avoid any ticket brokers advertising tickets for Mayweather-Pacquiao 2 at The Sphere, saying “it’s one million percent not happening there.”
Mayweather defeated Pacquiao by unanimous decision in their first bout in 2015.
Pacquiao, 47, fought Mario Barrios to a draw in July for the WBC welterweight title, and Mayweather, 49, will participate in a June 27 exhibition fight.
