The Mayweather and Pacquiao rematch is leaving The Sphere and moving to an MGM-affiliated venue in Las Vegas, with the date potentially shifting from September to mid-August as well.
According to an official familiar with the negotiations who spoke to Boxing Scene on condition of anonymity due to evolving talks, the bout will now take place at either T-Mobile Arena or MGM Grand Garden Arena. The casino connection is central to the decision.
“It made no sense to put it at The Sphere — it’s not connected to a casino.”
MGM routinely packages tickets with offerings for high-roller gamblers across its multiple Strip properties and stages fight-week events around its high-profile boxing cards, making its venues a more natural fit for a fight of this commercial scale.
The official also issued a direct warning to fight fans looking for tickets in the secondary market.
“It’s one million percent not happening there.”
T-Mobile Arena has an iHeart Radio event booked for September 19, but the venue is open on August 15, which aligns with the potential new date the official referenced. Officials at Madison Square Garden-owned Sphere and MGM did not respond to questions from Boxing Scene.
The Netflix-streamed bout will count on both fighters’ official records. Floyd Mayweather, 49, went 50-0 in his professional career, while Manny Pacquiao, 47, carries a 62-8-3 record, including a draw against Mario Barrios in July for the WBC welterweight title.
Their original meeting on May 2, 2015, at MGM Grand Garden Arena generated the highest pay-per-view revenue in boxing history. Mayweather is scheduled for a June 27 exhibition fight before the Netflix bout.