Floyd Mayweather Whacks A Docile John Gotti III in Mexico City

When fans at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City began to whistle derisively (a Mexican take on the “boo”) in the sixth round at the non-action between Floyd Mayweather and John Gotti III, one couldn’t help but wonder what, actually, they were expecting to see that night.

The 47-year-old Mayweather is unapologetically in exhibition mode these days, going through the motions and pocketing easy money with side gigs he’s equated to legal bank robbery. The 31-year-old Gotti, meanwhile, lacked the skill and ability to be anything but three steps behind any version of Mayweather.

This was a rematch of their April, 2023 exhibition that was equally as dull and pointless until referee Kenny Bayless waved off the bout in the sixth round for, apparently, excessive rudeness. The decision moved Gotti to throw his only real punches of the fight, after the bell, and start a melee between the two teams that generated some mainstream coverage.

Despite the fake grudge match angle coming into this Part 2, Mayweather-Gotti was always going to be a nothing exhibition. Those paying to see the eight-round play-act were doing so to say that they got to see Mayweather in person.

However, with so many tickets being given away to the not-in-demand event and/or sold under two-for-one specials, there were many among the reported 15,000 in attendance who didn’t see themselves as paying customers. So, they expressed their honest thoughts on the lackluster affair, raining whistles and then boos on the two fighters when it became clear that they weren’t going to get a fight from them.

Each round was basically the same in this attempted cash grab. Mayweather would sparsely pick and paw from the outside and occasionally rip off a three-quarter-strength shot on the inside. Gotti would do nothing but look tough, like someone who SHOULD know how to fight, but doesn’t.

If Gotti’s infamous mafioso grandfather was as passive and docile as his grandson, he would’ve been whacked by rival wise guys, just on principle.

There were only two moments of note in this entire affair.

In the first round, the timekeeper forgot that the rounds were supposed to be two minutes and Gotti, himself, had to remind referee Hector Afu that the two minutes were up and he needed a breather.

In the second, a cuffing Mayweather shot to the side of Gotti’s head brought an odd rabbit punch warning from Afu, which set Mayweather off and eventually led to Afu being switched out for another referee, mid-round. Scripted or not, it was the last moment in this exhibition that would deviate from the central theme of Mayweather half-assing his way to a one-sided showing against a wildly inferior fighter.

Kudos to Gotti for somehow getting into Floyd’s orbit and milking a fake rivalry into two well-paying B-side gigs. And Kudos, I guess, to Mayweather for another legal bank robbery.