The exhibition boxing spectacle originally marketed as the “Showcase in the Skies of Dubai” is no longer set in Dubai.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and UFC legend Anderson Silva are both expected to appear on the card, originally booked for a helipad on the roof of the Burjal Arab hotel in Dubai last weekend. However, the death of UAE ruler Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has seen the event pushed back a week.
A sandstorm appears to be to blame for the change of venue/location, at least in part. Mayweather posted news of the new date and location on his social media profiles on Thursday.
A report by MMA Fighting lists the new venue as the Etihad Arena. That venue has played host to UFC events on multiple occasions.
Mayweather, who finished his professional boxing career at 50-0 following a win over UFC superstar Conor McGregor, has dabbled in exhibition bouts ever since. That includes appearances against Tenshin Nasukawa and Logan Paul.
Silva, for his part, went 2-0 in boxing last year, defeating former champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a professional bout, then knocking out Tito Ortiz in an exhibition contest. In Abu Dhabi, he’s expected to face another former MMA fighter, Bruno Machado. Mayweather, meanwhile, faces Don Moore. Both bouts will be exhibition contests.
