Floyd Mayweather has claimed that he wants to visit the UK to entertain the fans after not doing so during his professional career – but it’s going to cost them a pretty penny.
The hall-of-famer hung up the gloves at 50-0 in 2017 and has since taken to the exhibition circuit. He’s travelled the globe to face MMA stars and YouTubers, barely breaking a sweat so far. His latest bout against popular content creator, Deji, topped the bill at a bizarre event in Dubai.
Now he’s touching down in England to face Aaron Chalmers – a 1-0 professional fighter with an MMA background and, most notably, reality TV fame from Geordie Shore.
The bout – set for February 25 at The O2 in London – will be available to view on streaming website, Zeus Network. The price? £32.26.
That’s £5.31 more than what fans paid to watch undefeated heavyweight champion of the world, Tyson Fury, defend his title at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – and even that price was condemned.
UK box office prices stayed at the £19.95 price point for some time before Anthony Joshua and Fury events raised the bar to around £25.
To see an exhibition – Floyd Mayweather or otherwise – top those heavyweights has been met with condemnation from fans, with many predicting an almighty flop. Others called the move shocking and disgraceful, but many just laughed the audacity off.
Thank god this fight got made, as a long-time boxing fan this truly is the one I’ve been waiting for. I’d far rather watch this than Spence Vs Crawford or AJ Vs Fury. It really is the pinnacle of the sport!
— James Dixon (@JamesDi48858141) February 2, 2023
This will do an estimated 6-7 buys
— Ryan (@Ryanmisangyi7) February 2, 2023
The fight is dubbed Royal Pain – which is ironic for an exhibition with strict rules – and is yet to announce a full undercard.
If the price hampers the interest, so to will the fight that comes a day later. On Sunday February 26, Jake Paul will face Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia – BT Sport Box Office for UK fans with a price yet to be confirmed, but almost certainly less that ‘Money’ Mayweather’s.