Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones boasts he can provide the biggest indoor fight crowd for a U.S. boxing event in history and he has a couple of open dates in the fall available to prove it.
But can he land the fight?
Jones said Wednesday he?d love to host Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
?There?s no doubt in my mind that we?d break every record of attendance that anybody?s ever seen for boxing,? Jones said at the Cowboys annual sponsor appreciation golf outing in Grapevine. ?I think it?d be a real plus for boxing to be able to expose that many people live to a great fight like that and that?s what we?ve got to sell and that?s what we?re going to be selling.
?If given the opportunity, the magic that would be involved and having over 100,000 _ and there?s no question in my mind, I think we would maybe approach 120,000 for that fight.?
Ranking No. 1 indoors was the heavyweight title bout between Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks in 1978 that drew 63,350 to the Superdome in New Orleans. The overall record for the largest boxing crowd sits at 132,274 for Julio Cesar Chavez? bout at Azteca Stadium in Feb. 1993.
The undefeated Mayweather (41-0) and Pacquiao (51-3-2) would battle for both the welterweight title and the unofficial mantle as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels said, ?We certainly had a great experience with the fight in March and we would love to be involved in conversations for another Pacquiao fight.?
Pacquiao defeated Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium on March 13 in front of 50,994 fans.
Daniels confirmed both Nov. 6 and 13, both Saturdays, are available dates at Cowboys stadium, but nothing has been reserved because the fight has not yet been agreed upon by Pacquiao?s promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank and Mayweather?s representatives from Golden Boy Promotions. The Cowboys play on the road at Green Bay on Nov. 7 and at the New York Giants on Nov. 14.
Pacquiao and Mayweather were slated to fight earlier this year, but the fight fell apart due to Mayweather?s insistence on strict drug testing.
Pacquiao won his political fight this week to capture a congressional seat in his native Philippines.
Staff writer Charean Williams contributed to this report.
