MARQUEE fights in boxing are unlike other ordinary cards. While promoters of boxing cards featuring unknowns and future stars scramble their way into squeezing a schedule in fight arenas with their own money upfront, the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather are given the luxury of having big ticket venues pay for the right to host their fights.
If you wonder why Texan billionaire and oil mogul Jerry Jones, owner of Dallas Cowboys, is moving heaven and earth to have the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight held at its famed stadium in Dallas, Texas, don’t be surprised.
Such is the enormity of this anticipated bout that propaganda mouthpieces from both cities have been arguing their cases ever since it was announced that only the venue was left for the fight to be officially announced.
The reported generous US$20 million guaranteed offer by Jones is no pocket money to sneeze at.
This figure, I supposed, will be halved between the promoters and the main feature attractions of the boxing card.
While 99 per cent of professional boxers are aching to get their first million-dollar fight purse, both Pacquiao and Mayweather stand to earn US$5 million each from the fight venue proceeds.
That’s a cool Php 225,000,000 for Manny, enough to cover expenses for his congressional bid, by just showing up at the Dallas Stadium alone.
The Dallas Stadium has a retractable roof that can shield a full-capacity of up to 100,000 spectators from the rain.
Imagine how much revenue will be generated from this fight if the venue will be filled to rafters!
manny’s take on those proceeds from live gate tickets could end up more than the combined purses he received in all three of his Erik Morales fights.
But Las Vegas is no small kid on the block.
Las Vegas has been home to Mayweather and has been kind to Pacquiao.
Pacquiao fought a total of 11 fights in Las Vegas.
MGM Grand, which hosted six of those Las Vegas fights of Manny, has offered to construct a makeshift arena to accommodate more fight fans.
MGM or Wynn’s could match Jones’ offer and the fight could sealed for a Las Vegas showdown.
But at the end of the day, Top Rank’s Bob Arum is right.
The fight will go where the most money is.
Situations like these work to the favor of the boxers.
