Floyd Mayweather Jr rolled back the years with a dominant performance to defeat John Gotti III in a one-sided exhibition match on Saturday evening.
However, the Mexico City spectacle, fought over eight, two-minute rounds, was a largely uninspiring affair and Mayweather’s bizarre behaviour in the second has somewhat overshadowed his victory.
Mayweather’s previous encounter with Gotti III in June hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons after referee Kenny Bayless called a premature end to the fight due to a brawl and excessive trash talking from both teams.
And there was yet more controversy at the Arena CDMX as an agitated Mayweather seemingly had the referee ejected from the match – and replaced by another official.
The jaw-dropping incident came after the referee pulled Mayweather up for a behind-the-head shot on Gotti III, which drew a furious reaction from the veteran American – who repeatedly gestured for him to leave the ring while yelling, ‘Move out the way!’.
The match was delayed for quite some time before the referee was swapped out for a back-up waiting in the wings, with Mayweather going on to cruise to a comfortable win in the Mexican capital.
The crowd inside the 22,000-seater arena made their displeasure known as the match petered out to an inevitable conclusion to a loud chorus of boos and jeers.
‘We had to put on a show for the people. I want to thank Gotti for being a man of his word,’ Mayweather said after his victory was confirmed.
Mayweather was joined in the ring by Mexican boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez shortly after the win.
The 47-year-old took the opportunity to pay tribute to the ‘unbelievable fighter’ who he looked up to as a young boxer.
‘Julio Cesar Chavez, he’s a legend. He’s one of the guys that paved the way for me,’ Mayweather said.
‘An unbelievable fighter, he beat my uncle Roger twice. I have to take my hat off to this legend.
‘He’s one of the guys that I was watched when I came up and I just want to let him know that I’m proud of him.
‘He’s one of the legends that I looked up to and he paved the way for me.
‘He’s done so much for the sport of boxing and for all the young Mexican fighters who came after him. He’s one of the best Mexican fighters of all time.’
More to follow.
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