IF Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. ever agree to a boxing match, Jerry Jones would push hard for AT&T Stadium to host what would be the biggest fight in years and the richest fight in history.
AT&T Stadium has already hosted two prime-time fights, including Pacquiao’s win over Antonio Margarito in 2010, and would certainly make a strong effort to pry the fight away from other bids, with the fiercest competitor likely coming from Las Vegas.
“Our venue would really extend ourselves in every way, every imaginable way—financially and otherwise—to have that fight,” Jones said after the Cowboys-Giants game on Sunday night in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
“I know there is no question that we can have the largest gate in boxing. We’re a proven boxing venue.”
Jones avoided any notion that AT&T Stadium would “outbid” Vegas, saying he didn’t want to create those kinds of headlines.
But he used the word “numbers” multiple times as to what the No. 1 selling point for AT&T Stadium would be, in terms of revenue generated and the possibility of having more than 100,000 attend the boxing match, and added that the Metroplex has a strong boxing community.
“We’ve got a great Mexican constituency and that is probably the greatest nation with the greatest fight fans in the world,” Jones said.
At this point, though, it’s all speculation. The fight has yet to be agreed upon, although it seems to be gaining more steam.
After Pacquiao defeated Chris Algieri to retain his welterweight title this past weekend, he told reporters that his next desired opponent would be Mayweather.
“The people deserve that fight,” Pacquiao said. “The fans deserve that fight. It’s time to make that fight happen. It’s been a long time. I want that fight. They’re always denying the fight. I think the fight has to happen.”
Pacquiao’s promoter, Top Rank’s Bob Arum, said the fight could come together quickly enough to have it happen within the first six months of 2015.
It’s a fight that every boxing fan wants to see, of course, but several hurdles must be cleared to make it happen. The two sides have flirted with it and tried to make it happen in the past, famously having a deal fall apart in 2010, but have never come to terms.
Outside of each boxer agreeing to the terms of the fight, another obstacle is reaching an agreement for a joint pay-per-view broadcast. Pacquiao is under contract with Time Warner/HBO, while Mayweather is with CBS/Showtime.
Joint pay-per-view events have happened in the past and it would seem like each side would be financially motivated to find a middle ground.
But, until all those things align and are agreed to, there’s no telling what competition there would be among venues to host the marquee fight.
AT&T Stadium would be an attractive option, but these types of fights always seem destined for Las Vegas and the MGM Grand is known for hosting them. It’s also within reason to think New York’s famed Madison Square Garden would be in the mix, along with other newer venues such as the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
But if the fight happens and AT&T Stadium lands it, it would rank among the biggest, arguably the biggest, event for the venue has ever hosted, along with the Super Bowl, Final Four and the upcoming college football championship game.
Drew Davison / Fort Worth Star-Telegram