Floyd Mayweather will continue his exhibition boxing career this Saturday as he faces John Gotti III in a highly-anticipated rematch. This follows their first exhibition bout in June 2023, which ended in chaos after a brawl erupted when referee Kenny Bayless halted the fight in the sixth round.
During their initial encounter, Mayweather was dominating the match until Gotti received multiple warnings for rough tactics, ultimately leading to Bayless stopping the action. Following the stoppage, Gotti threw punches at Mayweather, prompting a response from Mayweather and his team, which resulted in both camps entering the ring and the arena needing to be evacuated.
The rematch is set to take place at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, and both fighters appear to have calmed the tensions that surrounded their first matchup.
Mayweather, who retired from professional boxing in August 2017 after achieving an unblemished record of 50-0 against UFC champion Conor McGregor, has participated in seven exhibition matches since hanging up his gloves.
At a final press conference this week, Mayweather expressed his admiration for Mexico’s rich boxing history. “I’ve been around and competed against the best. The pedigree of Mexican boxing is truly incredible,” he said. “So, Saturday it is what it is. I’ve already faced the best.”
John Gotti III, the grandson of notorious mob bosses John Gotti and John Gotti Jr., shared his excitement about the rematch, saying, “This is the best shape I’ve ever been in my entire life. I appreciate Floyd for giving me this opportunity. We’re going to put on a good show.”
The event will also feature a notable undercard. Veteran boxer Victor Ortiz will return to the ring against Argentina’s Rodrigo Damian Coria. Ortiz, who last fought in May 2022 and won via unanimous decision, will also be in an exhibition match against Coria, who seeks to establish his presence in the sport.
The full fight card for Saturday includes:
– Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III
– Victor Ortiz vs. Rodrigo Damian Coria
– Alan David Picasso vs. Azat Hovhannisyan
– Curmel Tramayne Moton vs. Victor Vazquez
Details for viewing the Mayweather vs. Gotti event are as follows:
Date: August 24 | Start time: 7:30 p.m. ET (main card)
Location: Arena CDMX, Mexico City
TV channels: PPV.com, traditional pay-per-view