Floyd Mayweather Jr. is back in the spotlight in Mexico City this week, seated next to John Gotti III, descendant of the infamous New York mobster, among a gathering of boxing officials and curious observers.
When asked why he chose to return from retirement, Mayweather, 47, smiled and replied, “This is retirement for me.”
Currently on his eighth stop of the Floyd Mayweather Jr. Exhibition Tour, Mayweather is set to face Gotti in an eight-round rematch scheduled for Saturday night. Despite retiring from professional boxing in 2017 after defeating Conor McGregor, Mayweather has continued to showcase his skills in various exhibitions, amassing both accolades and income.
Interestingly, John Gotti Jr. revealed that Mayweather had reached out to them several years ago after learning that Gotti III was competing in MMA. Mayweather, known for his marketing prowess, offered him a chance to fight in the boxing ring; Gotti Jr. mused that it could be appealing to pay-per-view audiences, given the family’s reputation.
The Exhibition Tour continued with several bouts, including:
**Arlenn Sanchez vs. Cecilia Rodriguez, Light Flyweight**
In a closely contested fight, Rodriguez emerged victorious over Sanchez by unanimous decision. Despite Sanchez’s determination and effort, Rodriguez’s precision and frequency of landed punches solidified her win, improving her record to 14-1-1.
**Luis Rodriguez vs. Cesar Vaca, Super Middleweight**
In another match, Vaca defeated Rodriguez by majority decision. Vaca’s effective movement and combination of speed and defense allowed him to dodge Rodriguez’s powerful punches while landing clean shots of his own, enhancing his record to 17-1-1.
**Aaron Silva vs. Alberto Artiga, Super Middleweight**
Silva claimed victory by TKO against Artiga, who took the fight on short notice. Silva dominated the fight from the start and bloodied Artiga by the third round, bringing his record to 15-1.
**Curmel Moton vs. Victor Vazquez, Lightweight**
Moton made quick work of Vazquez, knocking him out within less than a minute of their fight. This impressive win not only highlighted Moton’s potential as a rising star but also showcased his boxing prowess.
**Victor Ortiz vs. Damian Coria, Exhibition**
In an uneventful exhibition match, Ortiz and Coria seemed to hold back their punches, much to the disappointment of the crowd. The fight ended without any significant incidents, though Ortiz demonstrated camaraderie, kissing Coria on the cheek afterward.
As anticipation builds for the Mayweather vs. Gotti III match, predictions have varied from Mayweather securing a stoppage victory to a longer fight that could go the distance.
Mayweather took the opportunity to humorously address rumors about a potential fight with Julio Cesar Chavez, making light of the situation.
The main card for Saturday’s event is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET, with the main event expected around midnight ET. Fans can watch the fight on DAZN with a pay-per-view charge of $49.99.