Floyd Mayweather, Andre Berto Tickets at MGM Grand VS. Manny Pacquiao "Fight of the Century"
If the media frenzy leading up to his fight with Manny Pacquiao wasn't enough, expect Floyd Mayweather to once again invade media outlets for his historic -- albeit predictable -- upcoming fight against Andre Berto on September 12. Mayweather announced last Wednesday that he would take on the 30-3 Berto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena next month in what will likely be his 49th career victory, which would match the undefeated record of the late great Rocky Marciano. Much like that of the heralded "Fight of the Century" back in May, no specific timetable has been placed on tickets on sale, but Floyd Mayweather tickets are already beginning to find their way onto the secondary market.
As speculative tickets begin to trickle onto resale platforms, the fight has yet to find the amount of attention that Mayweather vs. Pacquiao received, but that doesn't mean prospective patrons won't pay big prices to attend next month's match. The average secondary market price for Mayweather vs. Berto tickets on TiqIQ is currently $1,326.69, a far cry from the $4,830.99 average the fight back in May had. Still, the cheapest ticket available for next month's bout in Sin City is $314.
Next month's match is perhaps more comparable to that of Mayweather's fight with Canelo álvarez in September of 2013. Billed as "The One," the fight saw Mayweather win by a majority decision over 12 rounds and it was the most profitable boxing event ever at the time, grossing more than $200 million in revenue. However, it paled in comparison to the Pacquiao match in terms of secondary ticket prices, with Mayweather vs álvarez tickets averaging $2,887.69. Mayweather's upcoming bout will likely garner big pay-per-view ratings (it will cost between $64.95 and $74.95 in HD), but the historic fight won't come close to what Mayweather has generated on the secondary market in the past.
Lower ticket prices are likely the direct result of the lack of excitement surrounding the fight. While the media salivates over anything Mayweather-related, both positive and negative, many believe that next month's match is a cop-out from the undefeated boxer's camp, who chose a safe opponent in Berto to fulfill a contractual obligation with Showtime and CBS. Mayweather has told the press that he believes Berto will make for an exciting fight, but that hasn't been enough to persuade the public from feeling underwhelmed by the card.
Of course, Mayweather is a businessman first and boxer second -- he is projected to earn somewhere around $32 million for his upcoming fight -- and his ability to conjure up headlines is a patented trademark. Time will tell if he can project enough clout to boost ticket prices on the secondary market, but it appears that the 38-year-old will attempt to make history with a ripple rather than a tidal wave.
Check out the Fight of the Century below: