Mayweather reserves MGM Grand on Aug. 26 for possible bout with McGregor

Floyd Mayweather has marked the calendar for a possible date to meet Conor McGregor in a highly anticipated cross-sport bout.

Mayweather Promotions reserved the MGM Grand for Aug. 26 to host the boxing match between the undefeated boxer and the most popular fighter in the UFC, according to a source close to the situation.

Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, did not immediately return calls for comment.

The reservation doesn’t guarantee that the two combat sport stars will meet in late August, but it might mean the two sides want to get ahead of the middleweight showdown between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin scheduled for Sept. 16 at T-Mobile Arena. T-Mobile Arena is hosting rapper Ice Cube’s Big 3 basketball tournament title game on Aug. 26.

Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Bob Bennett said he hasn’t received any documentation from the Mayweather or McGregor camps for an upcoming fight in Las Vegas.

“At this point in time, I do not have any records to support the Aug. 26 rumors,” Bennett said. “Mayweather hasn’t finished applying for his boxing license nor has Conor McGregor completed his licensing procedure at this point and time.

“We have no documentation that there is any type of contractual agreement and or that they’re listed on an event.”

The Mayweather-McGregor rumors exploded on social media last week when the commission added the Aug. 26 hold on its website’s events calendar stating that Mayweather Promotions is expected to host a boxing event televised by Showtime.

Stephen Espinoza, the executive vice president of Showtime Sports, declined comment on Monday regarding the possible Mayweather return date.

Review-Journal columnist John Katsilometes was recently told by a source well-versed in the staging of major events in Las Vegas that the Mayweather-McGregor bout will happen “sooner than you think.”

Mayweather’s promotional company also has a hold on the MGM Grand for July 29, according to the commission’s events calendar. But that date is most likely being used for the Mikey Garcia-Adrien Broner bout, according to multiple sources.

McGregor, the UFC lightweight champion, recently said on Twitter “something BIG is coming.”

Before McGregor can be approved for a boxing license in Nevada, he will have to complete his 25 hours of community service that he was ordered to do by the commission for his role in the water-bottle throwing incident last August with Nate Diaz’s camp during a news conference.

“He has to provide me documentations for his 25 hours of community service,” Bennett said. “I haven’t received proof of that.”

Mayweather has recently posted footage of his training on his Instagram account. Las Vegas boxer Devin Haney said on Twitter he sparred six rounds with Mayweather over the weekend.

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Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com. Follow @gmanzano24 on Twitter.