Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2: Could the rematch be back on?

Mayweather v Pacquiao – how to get your hands on a ticket

23 April

Tickets for the Fight of the Century between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas next week are to finally go on sale – but only around 500 will be available to the general public.

With the fight only days away there were concerns about whether any tickets would actually be released, with the two camps arguing over their allocations inside the MGM Arena.

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"Most of the tickets to the 16,500-seat MGM Grand Garden Arena are controlled by the two fight camps, with the remainder reserved by the MGM for its own customers," explains Sky.

Estimates about how many tickets will actually go on general sale differ. Although the venue holds more than 16,000 people Sky says there are only 500 tickets available, while the BBC says the number is around 1,000. "The rest will go to the fighters, the casino, sponsors and promoters," says the BBC.

The cheapest tickets will cost $1,500 (£1,000) and the most expensive are valued at $10,000 (£6,660). However, the face value of the ticket is no indication of its worth. "Seats are expected to change hands for around £60,000 on the black market," explains the Daily Telegraph.

The two camps have already started releasing some of their ticket allocations to brokers and they have been attracting huge bids. Sky says two of the $10,000 tickets were sold on the internet for more than $100,000 on Wednesday.

The tickets go on sale at 8pm BST and are available from mgmgrand.com and ticketmaster.com. Buyers are limited to four tickets per person.

Mayweather Pacquiao hype has become 'unmanageable'

21 April

The hype over the showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao next month has "escalated to unmanageable levels" says Oliver Brown of the Daily Telegraph, after a chaotic conference call with the Filipino fighter was called off by his promoter Bob Arum after he had spoken just three words.

Many journalists were unable to dial in to the call on Monday as the conference system struggled to cope with demand. Then there were technical problems during the build-up to the Q&A session and when the first question was unexpectedly asked by a reporter from website Examiner.com Arum stepped in and pulled the plug.

Promoters Top Rank admitted the system had been overloaded, but it was also clear that Arum did not want the telephone session to go ahead. Afterwards he told disgruntled journalists: "I don't believe in [conference calls] and think they're terrible. I knew they'd screw it up."

It is the latest glitch in the build-up to the Fight of the Century. "With the £170 million showpiece still 11 days away, the preamble is already on the verge of pandemonium," writes Brown of the Telegraph.

He points out that "not a single paper ticket" for the fight has yet been printed and the number of requests for press accreditation is already greater than the capacity of the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

"Never in the annals of major fights in Las Vegas has the ticketing brouhaha been allowed to continue until so close to the fight," he adds. It could be that no tickets ever go on sale, meaning that they have all been divided up between MGM Grand and the fight promoters. "The tickets will then trickle down to become the exclusive preserve of the fighters' camps, television networks, Hollywood actors, friends and brokers."

However, fight fans may be able to get tickets to the weigh-in ahead of the fight. Never before has a weigh-in been ticket-only, although the proceeds will be donated to charity.

Weigh-ins have become "sound and light spectacles" in recent years "and the audiences keep growing", says the Daily Mail. "The decision to sell tickets for this one has been made in the interests of safety, not profit," it explains. "Up to 200,000 visitors are expected to pour into Vegas this fight week and the MGM need to control the crowds at all the associated events."

Mayweather to fight Pacquiao in $25,000 mouthguard

8 April

With less than a month until Floyd Mayweather fights Manny Pacquiao in their world welterweight showdown in Las Vegas, the hype is increasing and so is Mayweather's level of ostentation.The man they call 'Money' on account of his love of cold, hard cash, has reportedly ordered a mouthguard worth $25,000 (£16,800). According to BBC Sport the mouthguard will be "stuffed with $100 notes" for the eagerly anticipated bout at the MGM Grand on May 2.Mayweather has his guards tailor-made by Lee Gause, a New York dentist, and it's believed that the one he'll wear against Pacquiao will contain gold and diamonds as well as the $100 dollar bills. "My career's gone on 19 years and I've been able to preserve my smile," the 38-year-old America was quoted as saying .Not that 'Money' will be short of a few bob after his fight against Pacquiao. Win or lose, Mayweather is set to earn an estimated £122 million from what has been dubbed the "richest fight in history". He goes into the fight as favourite against the 36-year-old Filipino, but there is an air of confidence emanating from Pacquiao's training camp. Trainer Freddie Roach has described his charge as a "freak", saying: "He is in top condition. … He'll never lose a fight because he's too tired. It just doesn't happen. It's impossible."Pacquiao, the only eight-division world champion in boxing history, is up against a man undefeated in his 47-fight career, but the Filipino's promoter, Bob Arum, believes there will be an upset in Vegas. "Mayweather's an excellent fighter, no question about that, and he creates a tremendous challenge for Manny," said Arum. "But I think Manny at this stage can rise to that challenge and win the fight... I think he'll win with movement, by the number of punches that he throws, and I think his foot speed is a lot better."

The two boxers have been doing their bit to build the hype, appearing in a promotional video for a pay-per-view TV channel. In the 30-second video the pair meet "on the road" to Vegas and face off as the voiceover solemnly declares "Two legends, one destiny".

Mayweather vs Pacquiao: wallets out for 'richest fight in history'

25 March

According to Floyd Mayweather the world will stop when he steps into the ring with Manny Pacquiao on May 2. Meanwhile the fans will be pinned to their screens after forking out almost £25 to watch the "richest fight in history".

The BBC reports that the welterweight title fight will be "the most expensive boxing match in UK pay-per-view history" with Sky Sports Box Office primed to make a killing from broadcasting the bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The channel will charge customers up to £24.95 – depending on how it's booked – for the privilege of watching American fighter Mayweather, 38, defend his unbeaten record against his 36-year-old Filipino opponent, that's three pounds more than viewers paid to see Carl Froch battle George Groves last year, and ten more than the £14.95 Sky charged customers in 2007 to watch Ricky Hatton fight Mayweather.

A record 1.2m viewers paid to see Hatton knocked out in the tenth round, a UK pay-per-view audience, and one that might be surpassed in six weeks even without the presence of a British fighter.

Despite the cost charged by Sky Sports, it pales into insignificance compared to the $99.95 [£65] American cable networks Showtime and HBO will reportedly bill its viewers.

"For whatever it's worth, the build-up over these years has certainly enhanced the fight," promoter Bob Arum told the New York Post. "Everybody knows about it now, even people who don't follow boxing."

Though tickets have yet to go on sale, the Post says only a small percentage will be available to the public with the majority snapped up by celebrities and corporate entertainment. It's expected ticket prices will range from $1,500 [£1,000] to $7,500 [£5,000] for a ringside seat at a fight that could earn Mayweather as much $180m. That's some $60m up on original estimates and considerably more than Pacquiao will receive. But as the Post explains, his purse is still "expected to be well over $100 million by the time everything is tallied up".

Not bad for a night's work.

Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao: the trash talk starts here

12 March

The world, according to Floyd Mayweather, "will stop" when he steps into the ring on 2 May to fight Manny Pacquiao. That was one of many grandiose claims made by the boxers during their last face-to-face encounter before the weigh-in for the welterweight title fight.

If the recent hype is anything to go by, the fight could be one of the most talked-up bouts in boxing history by the time the bell goes for round one of the contest. The tickets aren't cheap, that's for sure, with prices ranging from $1,500 (£1,000) to $7,500 (£5,000).

According to BBC Sport, though, most "tickets will never actually go on general sale, with celebrities and connections expected to fill the MGM Grand to capacity".

While the great and the good scramble for tickets, the two boxers will now spend the next few weeks preparing for the biggest fight of their lives – and the richest in history.

The Daily Telegraph says the purse for the Las Vegas showdown will be $250m (£170m), prompting Mayweather to declare: "2 May – the world stops. Mayweather v Pacquiao is the biggest fight in history."

An estimated 700 members of the media were present at the final press conference in Los Angeles as the pair, suited and booted, calmly but confidently fielded questions and issued statements. There was, noted the Telegraph, "no pushing and shoving…there appeared to be great respect between the two fighters".

Things had not been quite so convivial earlier in the day when Pacquiao, a Christian who takes a dim view of Mayweather's extravagant lifestyle, tweeted: "Beating Floyd is good for boxing. When athletes have great success, their success goes to their head. That is bad for boxing."

The 36-year-old Filipino fighter boasts a record of 57 wins, two draws and five losses, inferior to the American's stats, who has yet to taste defeat in 47 fights.

Mayweather, two years older than his rival, made a subtle reference to his 100 per cent record when he addressed the media, saying: "Our plan is to be smart and take every fight as they come, like all 47 fights. I'm in the gym pushing myself to the limit, because I want to win this more than any other fight. But I know one thing about sport, and if you lose, it's in your mind. I have always been a winner."

Not so Pacquiao, whose most recent defeat came with a sixth-round knockout by Juan Manuel Marquez in December 2012.

Nonetheless, the Filipino is confident his speed and power can overcome Mayweather's legendary defensive skills.

"My footwork and hand combinations will be my advantage," declared Pacquiao. His trainer, Freddie Roach, was more direct when asked for his prediction. "We're fighting the best fighter in the world – but we're gonna kick his ass!" he exclaimed.

Mayweather said nothing by way of response. He just smiled.