Lacklustre ticket sales for Mayweather’s ‘easy’ exit

LONDON: There are seats in all parts with less than a week to go to what Floyd Mayweather is selling as his last fight.

Four months ago, the socalled Fight of the Century between Money and Manny sold out the MGM Grand Garden Arena within two hours of tickets going on sale.

But the demand for Mayweather versus André Berto is underwhelming, to say the least.

Hopes of a full house seem to depend on a few thousand British fans making the transatlantic trek to support George Groves in his world title bid against Badou Jack.

If not, organisers may resort to handing out complimentary tickets to friends and employees. Not that Mayweather is bothered; he is guaranteed a minimum $38 million (R521m) for this sixth and final fight of his contract with the Showtime cable TV network.

He says: “People can tune in and watch or they can choose not to watch. Doesn’t worry me. My boxing legacy is secure, including being the all-time record seller on pay-per-view.”

Nevertheless, there are valid reasons for the likely turn-off. Berto might have made a serious argument of this a few years ago but this former world champion is in steep decline, to the point of losing three of his last six fights.

Public reaction has been to accuse Mayweather of picking an easy fight. As a front-foot fighter with limited defensive movement, Berto is eminently hitable by a counter-puncher such as Mayweather, who, if he wins, would equal Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record.

Groves will help boost the attendance as his fellow Londoners arrive to cheer him on against WBC super-middleweight champion Jack. But that is unlikely to compensate for the shortfall in ticket sales, for which one English fan commented: “I’m a devout Floyd fan, but by picking Berto, he has cut off all those who used to pay to watch in the hope of seeing him get beaten.” – Daily Mail