Manny Pacquiao Next Fight: Floyd Mayweather Mega-Bout To Take Place In Abu Dhabi?

[Correction: An investment group is seeking to have a possible Mayweather-Pacquiao fight take place in Abu Dhabi. A previous edition of this article quoted a Daily Mail report that stated the fight would take place in Dubai.]

Manny Pacquiao’s most recent fight was held outside of the United States, and there’s a chance his next bout will be held overseas, as well. With the possibility of a fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao looking more realistic than it has in recent years, an investment group is looking to have the potential bout take place in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

An investment group has reportedly made an offer for the fight to be held in the Middle East. According to BoxingScene, long-time boxing executive M. Akbar Muhammad says the group has made an offer of $110 million to Mayweather, and Pacquiao’s purse would put the combined total near $200 million.

“I’ve been instructed by the group to do whatever it takes to bring this long-awaited and eagerly anticipated fight to fruition,” M. Akbar Muhammad said. “There’s absolutely no doubt that each fighter, individually, will receive more money than any other boxer has in the past.”

It’s unknown if the two fighters will meet in 2015. Mayweather has dismissed notions of facing Pacquiao in the past, but recent events have increased talk of the potential mega-fight. Pacquiao had a convincing win over Chris Algieri on Nov. 22, and trainer Freddie Roach told the Daily Mail that Mayweather has insisted in rematch clause, if the two were to ever meet in the ring.

While Pacquiao doesn’t know who he’ll be fighting next, Mayweather has been without a future opponent for nearly 12 weeks. He has two fights left on his Showtime contract, and is likely to fight in May and September of next year, before possibly retiring.

Pacquiao hasn’t been shy about his desire to take on Mayweather, and he even talked fighting the undefeated boxer in the days leading up to his bout with Algieri. Roach is constantly talking about Mayweather, and has encouraged Pacquiao to do the same.

Muhammad’s group might be hoping to bring the biggest fight of all time to the Middle East, but it might not a likely possibility. Even though two of Pacquiao’s last three fights were held in Macau, China, Mayweather has never fought outside of the United States. Mayweather’s last 10 fights have been at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

Despite potential obstacles, Muhammad says he’s willing to do what’s necessary to make the fight happen.

“The funding is in place, and because of this and the group’s unique and distinctive make-up and backgrounds, it has emerged as the leading and most serious group striving to secure the bout. I’ve been instructed by the group to do whatever it takes to bring this long-awaited and eagerly-anticipated fight to fruition.”