CEO Confirms MGM Grand Reservation, Mayweather/Pacquiao Seems Eminent

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FloydMayweatherSrFloydMayweatherJrFloydwJm34QPC9cglSince you made it this far, I will assume that you are ready for your daily dose of “Mayweather vs. Pacquiao” intrigue. Good, because it has recently been reported that MGM CEO Jim Murren has confirmed that the MGM Grand Garden Arena is reserved for an undisclosed “fight” on Cinco De Mayo weekend (May 2nd).

Jim Murren told Masslive.com, “We are going to have a fight. We hope it’s a big, big fight… If it is the fight we hope it is, then it is the biggest fight.”

At this point, it feels a bit silly to spell out the significance of this news, but for the few of you that just became a fan of boxing this morning, “Mayweather vs. Pacquiao” is “the biggest fight” that Murren is referring to. Floyd (the “A-side” that holds negotiating power) has insisted that the fight happen on May 2nd, and the MGM Grand Garden Arena is where he has been fighting for nearly a decade. Okay, now that the new folks are caught up…

The significance is obvious. In order for a Mayweather/Pacquiao fight to happen, the MGM Grand would have to be available. Floyd Mayweather was never going to consider fighting anywhere else so, this is a given. Now that it has been confirmed that the MGM Grand is reserved for a fight, that is confirmation that one more hurdle has been cleared. Any hurdle cleared is a step closer to Mayweather-Pacquiao.

I have already written in the past about what a PR nightmare it would be for both fighters if this negotiation were to fall apart. Floyd’s steadfast insistence on owning the Cinco De Mayo weekend has always been one of the keys to this whole thing happening because as the window for promotion (and damage control, in the case of the fight not happening) closes, Pacquiao becomes Floyd’s only real option.

Of course, Floyd was always going to reserve the MGM Grand for May 2nd no matter who he chose to fight so the news by itself is not a guarantee that he will be fighting Manny. That said, the longer he waits, the fewer options he gives himself. If there is one thing we all know about Floyd, it is that the man does not paint himself into a corner.

If it is Floyd that is committing to May 2nd at the MGM Grand (of course it is), you can be sure he is not dealing with any unknown factors like contract details, spin control or lack of promotion for his next fight. Floyd knows exactly what he has in store for us on May 2nd, and his patience this late in the game, all but seals the deal on the only fight that quite literally sells itself. This pessimist says you can expect to see Floyd fight Manny at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 2nd, 2015.