MGM Grand on Hold in May 2012 for Mayweather Fight - Who Should He Fight?

Floyd's manager has confirmed they have notified the MGM Grand to hold a reservation in May 2012 for an evening for Floyd's next fight, which is to defend his title so no move to 154 for a dream match-up with Martinez.

In regards to who his next opponent, excluding Pac and Martinez who do you think he should fight at 147?

There's no one really apart from an Ortix rematch, Berto and Senchenko as they at least have a major belt but he'll get slated for fighting all 3.

The more I look at it, it seems a Khan fight is the most credible.

Fighting Khan in the UK would make more sense financially, you'd have thought.

Not excited about any Mayweather fight unless it's Manny or Khan, to be honest.

Who knows maybe he will step up to the plate and fight the P4P number 1, good to see him keeping active.

Would love to see him fight Khan.

Would be amazed if Khan took Mayweather straight out of the gate at welter, would think he would fancy at least one fight to test the water first, may not even move up if the rumours of Bradley being back on are accuarate. As you have alluded to though god only knows who that leaves as the cupboard is beyond bare, would anyone get even slightly excited about Berto or Senchenko, I know I wouldn't.

In May though..... MAY!! FFS.

I agree with Fists; anything other than Pacquiao or Mayweather would leave me a little cold, considering it's (seemingly) going to be a Welterweight fight. Wouldn't have minded seeing him against Alvarez at Light-Middleweight, but if he's staying at 147 lb then it simply has to be Pacquiao or Khan.

Like Jeff, I'd expect Khan to have at least one Welterweight venture before stepping in against Mayweather - a May fight leaves little time for that, though it's not impossible that Khan could fit in a warm up in late February / early March. So that leaves Pacquiao. Could this be a sign that the fight is a little closer? Probably not. Won't stop us from speculating, though.

Not sure they would just be able to reserve the MGM if it was with the intention of a Pacquiao fight, Chris. Surely there would be the same old wrangling about whether it'd be at the Dallas stadium or elsewhere before anything was settled on?

Mayweather's advisor/manager said they want the fight everyone wants and calls this certain someone the 'little man' so it's obvious but you can't take those comments as just standard boxing hype talk ATM.

Don't see how a fight in the UK would be the best financially.

This is the same Floyd who makes millions upon millions fighting out of the MGM. Nowhere else would make anymore money than a fight on the strip.

The bogey men in Vegas can offer far more money to Mayweather than the planks who organise events at Wembley.

Fists of Fury wrote:Not sure they would just be able to reserve the MGM if it was with the intention of a Pacquiao fight, Chris. Surely there would be the same old wrangling about whether it'd be at the Dallas stadium or elsewhere before anything was settled on?

Maybe you're right, but who knows? The whole situation regarding this fight and the negotiations around it has got so out of hand it's difficult to tell now, I reckon. I see Vegas as being the natural venue, though I suspect Arum may have other ideas. Maybe it's just the optimist in me, eh?

Im not sure Khan wouldnt just make the move to 147. Its not in Mayweathers interest to let Khan have a warm up so if he offers it to Khan for May I think Khan has to accept or turn it down. Mayweather will be aware of this and will try to eek out any advantage possible.

I usually think Mayweather times his opponents well in terms of who he fights, generally when their stock is high so with that in mind I think Khan is very possible.

I dont think they would even bother booking somewhere in advance for Pacquiao as I imagine negotiations for that would be painstakingly slow.

Venue capacity wise, apart from Dallas Cowboy's stadium, I think the UK trumps the US in appropriate venues and would get more bums on seats than in the US, however the money from the organisers and other money if staged in the US would most likely trump that generated in tickets sales.

A UK based fight would still be massively profitable for Floyd.

Vegas would still potentially blow Dallas out of the water in terms of how much they would pay for the Manny fight, Vegas doesn't really care about how many people turn up for mega fights most of the ringside tickets are given away as comps to high rollers and they more than make up the shortfall in revenue at the gate with how much the big gamblers dump at the tables.

Valero's Conscience wrote:Venue capacity wise, apart from Dallas Cowboy's stadium, I think the UK trumps the US in appropriate venues and would get more bums on seats than in the US, however the money from the organisers and other money if staged in the US would most likely trump that generated in tickets sales.

A UK based fight would still be massively profitable for Floyd.

I know what your saying and the same but I don't think Floyd is worried about bums on seats as 99% of the people who own them bums are booing him lol.

The owner(s) of the MGM and the surrounding casinos fund the fight due to numbers attending the fights which completely outweighs what London would have to offer.

If they built a few of those super casinos that were discussed a few years back in London then you can guarantee Mayweather would be over here like a whippet.

Thats how I see it anyway, there is more to it than PPV and gate revenue. The MGM must make a killing when a big fight with Floyd is on.

Live gates at the MGM are huge. They did $19million for DLH vs FMJ for example.

If you had (hypothetically) 80,000 paying on average £100 that'd come to only £8,000,000

Disagree quite alot on that part to be honest, that and it'd have to be 4am here and Khan doesn't have a massive following like Hatton did.

Disagree completely actually.

They make it at the tables, pretty sure I read somewhere for DLH Trinidad the casino holding it pretty much bought up all the ringside seats and gave them away, with the proviso that to get one you had to have $100K line of credit at the tables, if 200 people dump $100k each you soon get up into a pretty massive take on the casino floor.

Either way Rotley they have the capacity to do huge gates, more so than we do here even if they filled Wembley with 80,000

Heard Alexander's name being banded about as a potential fight not long ago. Would ignore that one and wouldn't wake up early for it either.

Hopefully he gets Khan, be nice to see a big wide UD or stoppage and see Khan then explain how he's not as good as he thought he was......

Like many if its not Manny, then it has to be Khan. There isnt really much else left at 147. I actually think Khan would provide a stern test for him.

With that said, Mayweather has always stated that he would like to fight in England once, so would imagine if he wanted to face Khan, it would end up being at Wembly.

He just might surpise everyone with it ending up being Manny.

rowley wrote:Vegas would still potentially blow Dallas out of the water in terms of how much they would pay for the Manny fight, Vegas doesn't really care about how many people turn up for mega fights most of the ringside tickets are given away as comps to high rollers and they more than make up the shortfall in revenue at the gate with how much the big gamblers dump at the tables.

That's true. Tickets rarely sell out (even for a Mayweather fight), I got Mayweather vs Ortiz tickets a day before the fight at the MGM box office.

If this story is true, and it is likely to be so, I do believe this time it will be Mayweather vs Pacquiao. The fight has been hyped up as much as possible now, both will benefit the maximum economic benefits. As noted there is no one else, Khan won't be taking on Mayweather until he's had at at least one fight at WW, which is logistically not possible given he's now a box office fighter.

Money talks.

alma wrote:maybe a quick tune up for Khan in February at 147 before taking this in May?

If I were Mayweather I wouldnt allow it. Id say he is the one calling the shots so cant seem him accomodating Khan wanting a fight in between. Why give him the advantage?

hehe imagine all this effort to make this fight as big as possible and manny gets hammered by marquez next week.

I did get a little excited when I read this. (again)

The eternal optimist in me wants this fight as it would be one of the truely great stand out sporting events of my generation.

The realist says this could well be team money putting the ball back in manny's court, and the timing of it, just before the marquez fight, is a little bit interesting for me.

Wonder if floyd will get in manny's head with this.

In truth I cant see this being other than a game by mayweather if it is for manny. There is no way BA is gonna be happy with this.

One thing that I think o body seems to be picking up on is how much Bob Arum does not want this fight to happen. His old school deflection tactics of making it look like floyd are pathetic. Since this fight was first mentioned, has there been a manny fight that wasnt all top rank? I can only think of mosely, and lets be honest that fight was a joke.

He is setting ridiculous terms he knows floyd will not agree to on purpose in my opinion, to protect his cash cow.

But into his 80's with more than enough money already made and a name as big as any in boxing, why? Dont get it.

For the money involved in this fight, and the sheer magnitude of it I would have thought all involved would be doing everything to make it happen.


PLEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEE

cave_man_KO wrote:
The realist says this could well be team money putting the ball back in manny's court, and the timing of it, just before the marquez fight, is a little bit interesting for me.

Wonder if floyd will get in manny's head with this.

In truth I cant see this being other than a game by mayweather if it is for manny. There is no way BA is gonna be happy with this.

I think Cave man nailed it for me, Its Floyd's perfect timing in putting the focus back on himself, when the manny v Marquez fight should be in full promotional swing, The venue would be part of the contract, as in the case of Arum pre-booking dallas last time out and it becoming another thorny issue to fallout about.

"Little man, and "biggest fight", stop being a pr*ck, say manny if you mean manny end of the cryptic sh*it, Its a nothing story, but the timing is critical. I'm getting to the stage that I hope Marquez beats Manny, and whoever gets floyd next KO's him too. I'm sick of it, the fight is overcooked, and as a fight fan it just pisses me off now.

jimdig wrote:

cave_man_KO wrote:
The realist says this could well be team money putting the ball back in manny's court, and the timing of it, just before the marquez fight, is a little bit interesting for me.

Wonder if floyd will get in manny's head with this.

In truth I cant see this being other than a game by mayweather if it is for manny. There is no way BA is gonna be happy with this.

I think Cave man nailed it for me, Its Floyd's perfect timing in putting the focus back on himself, when the manny v Marquez fight should be in full promotional swing, The venue would be part of the contract, as in the case of Arum pre-booking dallas last time out and it becoming another thorny issue to fallout about.

"Little man, and "biggest fight", stop being a pr*ck, say manny if you mean manny end of the cryptic sh*it, Its a nothing story, but the timing is critical. I'm getting to the stage that I hope Marquez beats Manny, and whoever gets floyd next KO's him too. I'm sick of it, the fight is overcooked, and as a fight fan it just pisses me off now.

I still would love to see the fight, but to be honest quite where boxing goes from this fight I dont know. I mean how often is it these days the the two best fighters in the world, comfortably ahead of anyone else in terms of talent, are in the same weight class?? This fight has to happen.


Just wish they would get on with it.

i think its lined up for cotto, providing he beats margarito. cottos contract is up with top rank after the margarito fight and i dont think hes happy with the way arum has treated him recently. he pretty much forced his hand into a margarito rematch, plus rumour had it he had only signed an extension in the first place, as it was part of his clause to securing a fight with manny. ive got a feeling he will be dropping down in weight for one last huge payday. and as for mayweather, there aint many opponents who bring as much to the table for a match up as cotto, especially on the build up to puerto rico day

Surely if you're the self publicized best ever you would be calling Pacquiao and Martinez out?

Like to see him in with Alvarez, a good fight in which Mayweather should win well and take some credit.

I think he's gonna fight Khan and absolutely school him and in doing so making Khan look very amateurish.

I would want to see him fight Pacman or Martinez as these two opponents would bring the best out in Floyd.

As for the person who mentioned Cotto that fight wont happen cos Margarito will beat Cotto, Cotto's style is just all wrong against Margarito.

PPVxHOTTY wrote:I think he's gonna fight Khan and absolutely school him and in doing so making Khan look very amateurish.

I would want to see him fight Pacman or Martinez as these two opponents would bring the best out in Floyd.

As for the person who mentioned Cotto that fight wont happen cos Margarito will beat Cotto, Cotto's style is just all wrong against Margarito.

i agree, if cotto is being lined up for mayweather, the plans will probably come undone, i think cotto is intimidated by marg and will lose again.

Lance wrote:

PPVxHOTTY wrote:I think he's gonna fight Khan and absolutely school him and in doing so making Khan look very amateurish.

I would want to see him fight Pacman or Martinez as these two opponents would bring the best out in Floyd.

As for the person who mentioned Cotto that fight wont happen cos Margarito will beat Cotto, Cotto's style is just all wrong against Margarito.

i agree, if cotto is being lined up for mayweather, the plans will probably come undone, i think cotto is intimidated by marg and will lose again.

I think Martinez doenst posses the offence to beat floyd. Floyd would just shut up shop, put on another defensive masterclass and take a wide ud. He wouldnt allow martinez to get close to him, be on his bike for 12 rounds.

With Cotto, I think he will beat marg. At this stage I feel he has more left, has been more active since ther first bout. Whilst I dont think he is the same fighter after the loss to marg and the pasting to manny, I think tony has deteriorated massively, and was over rated in the first place.