Floyd Mayweather speaks to media on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the MCM retail store inside the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. (Mick Akers/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Mick Akers
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao are apparently still on a collision course for a mega rematch later this year. The two aging boxing icons are in agreement on a fight that was supposed to take place at The Sphere, but it seems that location is set to change along with the date.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39zhhfMGNRk
Based on a recent report from BoxingScene, The Sphere is no longer an option. Instead, it appears the fight is headed for another popular Las Vegas venue.
Mayweather and Pacquiao will likely land at either T-Mobile Arena or MGM Grand Garden Arena, with both MGM-affiliated buildings under consideration. "It made no sense to put it at The Sphere — it's not connected to a casino," an official familiar with the talks told BoxingScene, pointing to the high-roller ticket packages and fight-week hospitality that MGM properties build around major boxing cards. The official also warned ticket buyers against secondary-market tickets advertised for The Sphere, calling it “one million percent not happening there.”
Originally, Mayweather-Pacquiao II was headed for September 19, but now it appears the fight could be moved up.
T-Mobile Arena is booked on Sept. 19 with the iHeart Radio festival, but it’s open on Aug. 15 — and that's the date the BoxingScene source cited as the new target. Netflix's global streaming rights remain locked in regardless of when or where it lands.
Most fans will be happy to know that the fight will count toward both legends' pro records, but this was initially a hang-up for the event.
After Netflix announced the rematch as a sanctioned bout in February, Mayweather flipped at a March 28 meet-and-greet at Caesars Palace and called it an exhibition. Pacquiao Promotions CEO Jas Mathur went public with breach-of-contract claims, citing three signed agreements, advances already paid and potential nine-figure damages if Mayweather walked.
Mayweather has since formally agreed in writing that the rematch is a professional fight, with his 50-0 record officially on the line against Pacquiao’s 62-8-3.
The next step is to have the date, location and venue finalized. Then, hopefully we'll see promotional dates for pressers and an undercard take shape.
Mayweather has a June 27 exhibition against Mike Zambidis on the calendar before this rematch, while Pacquiao last fought Mario Barrios to a majority draw for the WBC welterweight title in July 2025. The level of cross-promotional activity has hit a different gear than the Tyson Fury return ahead of his April fight with Arslanbek Makhmudov, which is exactly the kind of build a Mayweather-Pacquiao II needs to deliver on the ticket prices the new venue will demand.
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