The fight venue of the much-anticipated Pacquiao-Mayweather match seems to have left two possible places for consideration by the promoters. This include Dallas, Texas and Las Vegas, Nevada.
While promoters Bob Arum and Richard Schaefer are tackling the fight purse and weight issues of the proposed Pacquiao-Mayweather match, some enterprising businessmen are working round the clock to get the upperhand in the choice of venue for the upcoming mega fight.
Las Vegas remains as the
top choice for the highly anticipated match early next year. Las Vegas political consultant Sig Rogich is leading a group that is exploring the possibility of erecting a 30,000-seat outdoor stadium on a Las Vegas Boulevard site once occupied by the New Frontier.
The proposed outdoor facility is aimed at accommodating the influx of Pacquiao and Mayweather fans who are expected to watch the fight in person n Las Vegas.
Pacquiao has fought 9 of his 12 fights in Las Vegas. Most of these fights were held at MGM Grand Garden Arena and Mandalay Bay. The MGM Grand Arena where the Pacquiao-Cotto match was held last November 14 failed to accommodate thousands of boxing fans who wanted to see the action inside the arena.
The limitation on the capacity of the venue must have prompted the promoters to entertain the idea of putting up an outdoor arena to accommodate the overflowing crowd that will watch the Pacquiao-Mayweather match.
The plan to construct an outdoor arena present some problems that will have to be studied carefully. For instance, what if it rains during the fight? Definitely the new stadium with a fixed roof or cover cannot be constructed within five months. What about the other facilities like parking space that is required for the venue?
The Las Vegas outdoor venue option could present some unexpected problems that need to be tackled to keep the fight in Las Vegas.
The Yankees Stadium in New York was earlier mentioned as a possible venue, but promoter Bob Arum said that the stadium and the Mets are out for tax reasons.
This leaves Dallas as one of the the best choices considering its top of the line facilities and capacity to accommodate large number of spectators.
Dallas' new Cowboys stadium can accommodate at least 100,000 spectators with good ringside views. On top of the topnotch facilities of the stadium, the fight could attract boxing fanatics from nearby Mexico and the border towns of Texas.
If the on-going negotiation on the fight venue fails, the promoters can always have MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay as fallback venues.
