Pacquiao-Horn rematch Aussies shopping for new venue

MANILA, Philippines - This early, the Australians are quite ecstatic over the prospects of a rematch between Manny Pacquiao and their WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn.

It appears there’s a silent bidding war among the different states and different venues over the right to host the rematch before the end of the year.

A rematch will certainly be bigger than the first one.

“First Manny’s got to say yes, and secondly, a case has to be made to make it work at Boondall or another venue,” Aussie promoter Dean Lonergan told the Australian Associated Press this week.

“Who knows what happens after that. If you look at Mayweather versus Pacquaio – the highest-grossing fight of all time in boxing – it did $72 million in a 15,000-seat venue,” said Lonergan.

The July 2 fight took place at the open-air Suncorp Stadium, before a live audience of 51,502 and the cool Brisbane weather of around 20 degrees Celsius.

If the rematch happens in November, certainly it can’t be held at Suncorp Stadium because of the heavy prospects of bad weather during that period.

Lonergan said it’s “too risky” to stage a fight outdoors in November.

They’re now looking at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Boondall, a northern suburb of Brisbane. It’s an indoor arena with 14,500 seats.

To make up for the lack in size, promoters will be forced to jack up ticket prices.

Bob Arum of Top Rank had hinted after the July 2 fight that if a rematch would ever happen, it will have to be in Brisbane because it’s under the contract.

But even now, the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, with its retractable roof and over 53,359 seats, is making a bid to host the rematch.

Lonergan said he doesn’t want “a bidding war” for the fight.

“It’s a case of supply and demand. If it can be made to stack up at Boondall I think that’s a real option.

If it can’t, then we’ll just have to look around,” he said.

The Australians are looking forward to this.