Former boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. says his planned Sept. 19 fight with Manny Pacquiao at the Sphere is no longer guaranteed to be held at the immersive arena and that it will now be an exhibition.
Mayweather, 49, said that bout’s site is still being determined, while speaking with media members during an autograph signing at MCM retail store in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace.
“We don’t know exactly where the fight is going to be at,” Mayweather said Saturday. “We don’t know the location of the fight. The Sphere is one of the places that they talked about. So, we don’t know if it’s 100% going to be there. And this is not actually a fight, it’s an exhibition.”
The fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao was first announced as a planned sanctioned bout, with Pacqiuao hoping to give Mayweather, 50-0, 27 knockouts, his first loss as a professional. The bout was scheduled to be streamed live on Netflix.
It was supposed to be the rematch of Mayweather and Pacquaio’s 2015 bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, that saw Mayweather win by unanimous decision. The fight generated a $72 million gate from the crowd of 16,219.
Mayweather said he has never taken any real damage during his boxing career, so he doesn’t mind fighting exhibitions as he approaches 50 years old.
“(I’m) still extremely healthy, I work out every day and, I got an exhibition with Mike Tyson also, another exhibition in Greece,” Mayweather said. “So, if I’m just sitting at home and I’m just working out every day, spending time with my grandson and spending time with my children, I said, why not go out, have a little fun, entertain and put on some exhibitions? So that’s been enjoyed.”
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.
