Mayweather And Pacquiao Still Most Expensive Boxing Match Ever Tracked On Secondary Market


Apr 29, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao pose for a photo during a press conference at KA Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

TiqIQ is a leading online ticket search engine listing both primary and secondary tickets. The company is an authority on ticket data analysis and trends.

After years of contract disagreements, speculation and trash talking, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will officially square off in the self-proclaimed Fight of the Century this Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The two boxers, who have been in talks about a proposed fight since 2009, will battle in the most expensive boxing match the secondary ticket market has ever seen. Expect to pony up big money to attend, as average ticket price is currently north of $4,600 according to TiqIQ.

That price has fallen considerably since last Thursday’s sale as more tickets have flooded the resale market, however. Following the on sale, the average secondary price for Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao tickets on TiqIQ was $10, 973.14, upping Super Bowl XLIX’s record-setting average of $10,466.11 and making it the most expensive event TiqIQ has ever tracked. The average price is now $4,623.02 three days prior to the fight, marking a 57.7% drop since last Thursday.

For fans just looking to get in the MGM Grand this Saturday, the cheapest available ticket on the resale market is currently priced at $2,750.  That ticket honors a seat in the 200’s End section of the arena, where the highest quantity of ticket inventory exists. The 200’s End is also the fight’s cheapest section on average at $3,513.54. No other section currently owns an average price below $4,000.

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Much like the fight’s average price on the secondary market, get-in price has also dropped in the days following last week’s on sale. Last Thursday, the cheapest ticket was listed for $4,477. Six days later, it has dropped 38.5% and will likely continue to plummet as Saturday draws closer.

While declining ticket prices continue in the days leading up to the fight, it will still be the secondary market’s top-priced boxing event of all-time.  Prior to Saturday’s bout, the most expensive fight ever recorded by TiqIQ came between Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez on September 14, 2013. Also held at the MGM Grand, that fight owned a secondary ticket average of $2,887.69. Building hype and excitement surrounding the potential for a Mayweather and Pacquiao battle has accumulated for years, however, making tickets for Saturday’s fight currently 60.4% more expensive than Mayweather’s rumble with Alvarez nearly two years ago.

Only 500-1000 tickets were made available to the public last Thursday, causing prices on the secondary market to reach record highs for a boxing match. Face price ranged anywhere between $1,500 and $10,000, though the $10,000 seats were reserved and distributed between the MGM Grand, Top Rank and Mayweather Productions.

The MGM Grand holds a capacity of just 16,500 for boxing events, making roughly 6% of the total allotment of tickets winding up in the hands of the public.

The significance of Saturday’s match transcends both boxers’ long and decorated careers. Floyd Mayweather puts his undefeated title and reputation as the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer on the line while Manny Pacquiao looks to defend his WBO Welterweight title. Mayweather enters Saturday with a 47-0-0 professional record and 26 knockouts to his name. Pacquiao follows closely behind at 57-5-2 record, 38 wins by way of knockout.