LAS VEGAS — Tickets for Oscar De La Hoya's upcoming bout with Manny Pacquiao almost completely sold out a few hours after going on sale today, guaranteeing the second-largest gate revenue in boxing history.

Only a handful of single seats were still available this afternoon for the Dec. 6 fight at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, which seats about 16,000 fans for boxing. The total gate revenue will be nearly $17 million, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said.

"This is just a reflection of the overwhelming interest in this mega-event," Schaefer said. "The matchup is one of the best in boxing, and will be one of the biggest events the sport has ever seen."

Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs), the Filipino star generally considered the world's best pound-for-pound boxer, will move up from lightweight to welterweight to meet De La Hoya (39-5, 30 KOs), the sport's most popular star and the bout's co-promoter.

The fight already has generated more gate revenue than any bout except De La Hoya's match with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the same arena on May 5, 2007, which sold more than $18.4 million in tickets with a few more seats and higher top-end prices.

The fight, nicknamed "The Dream Match" by its promoters, also will be shown live at several closed-circuit viewings throughout Las Vegas.

"When you have two superstars like Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya fighting each other, the public is going to respond," said Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter. "No one wants to miss this one."