Former world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather defeated John Gotti III, the grandson of notorious New York crime boss John Gotti, in an exhibition fight rematch in Mexico City. Despite the dominance displayed by Mayweather throughout the eight-round bout, the audience in attendance was unimpressed with Gotti’s lackluster performance. The fight saw Mayweather aggressively attacking Gotti from the start, while Gotti seemed only focused on surviving the punishment.
The match encountered confusion when the round-ending bell did not sound at the end of the first round, leading to the fight continuing until Gotti’s corner raised complaints. Additionally, Panamanian referee Hector Afu left the ring in the second round following a forbidden punch by Mayweather, further adding to the chaos. Mexican referee Alfredo Uruzquieta then took over the officiating duties for the remainder of the fight. Despite some attempts by Gotti to land punches on Mayweather’s body in the fourth round, he failed to make a significant impact throughout the match.
Mayweather’s relentless barrage of punches in the sixth and seventh rounds left Gotti struggling to defend himself, much to the dismay of the fans in attendance. The fight culminated with Mayweather cornering Gotti in the final round, but Gotti managed to hang on until the final bell. However, there was no official winner declared as the match was only an exhibition. This rematch came after a previous exhibition in South Florida in June 2023 that was halted due to a brawl between the fighters’ camps.
Despite his retirement from professional boxing in 2017 with an undefeated record of 50 wins, Mayweather continues to participate in exhibition fights that do not impact his official career statistics. On the other hand, Gotti, a former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter with a 5-1 record, transitioned to boxing and faced Mayweather in this high-profile exhibition match. As the grandson of the infamous Gambino crime family leader John Gotti, Gotti’s background added an extra layer of intrigue to the fight, generating significant interest from fans and media alike.
Overall, Mayweather’s victory over Gotti III in the exhibition match showcased his enduring dominance in the boxing ring, while Gotti’s lack of competitive spirit disappointed the audience. The confusion surrounding the fight, including the absence of the round-ending bell and the referee change mid-fight, added a layer of unpredictability to the event. Despite the lack of an official winner, the spectacle of watching two fighters from different backgrounds face off in the ring captivated audiences and further solidified Mayweather’s reputation as a boxing legend.
