Boxing icon Floyd Mayweather Jr. climbs back into the ring on Saturday, August 24, at Arena Ciudad de México in Mexico City for a rematch with John Gotti III.
Saturday’s fight will be the second exhibition match between the two men. Their first meeting ended after the sixth round as Mayweather was in complete control.
However, the decision to halt the fight early sparked a brawl inside and out of the ring. The scene got so hectic that it’s a little surprising the two sides were able to agree to a second exhibition.
In case you missed the brawl after the first fight, here is a look at the calamity. Joe Rogan gave an excellent explanation while breaking down the melee:
Here’s how you can watch.
- Date: Saturday, August 24
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Building a compelling story ahead of an exhibition match can be difficult. It helps when the participants are arguably the greatest boxer of all time and the grandson of one of American history’s most notorious mob bosses.
Even still, the brawl that happened at the end of the first meeting likely facilitates the rematch.
“First and foremost, thank you for everybody that made this happen,” Gotti III said. “Listen, all the preparation is done, we did all the work. I’m ready to fight, I’m excited to be here. I’m blessed to be here. Like my father had stated, from the minute we landed we’ve been embraced with open arms every we’ve been, restaurants, in the streets. All the hardcore and hardworking Mexicans. They’ve pledged their loyalty, everywhere we’ve been, to the Gotti’s, Team Gotti. That excites me.”
The location of the fight, set in Mexico, adds a layer of intrigue. Mayweather, often seen as the adversary of iconic Mexican fighters like Canelo Alvarez and Juan Manuel Marquez, is stepping into their territory.
It appears tensions have cooled on that front, as Mayweather was well-received during pressers and even saluted by singers and performers during fight week.
“I’m back in Mexico again,” Mayweather said. “I spoke about this the other day. The country of Mexico. The boxing pedigree in the whole country. Since I was a little kid, it has been truly unbelievable. So many legendary champions. So many legendary fighters.”
Throughout the build, Mayweather Promotions President Richard Schaefer has been by Mayweather’s side, while John Gotti Jr. has accompanied his son. The undercard for Mayweather-Gotti III isn’t stacked with many recognizable names, but there are some noteworthy fights.
Former Mayweather foe Victor Ortiz will take on Rodrigo Damian Coria. Popular and undefeated super bantamweight Alan David Picasso (28-0-1, 16 KOs) faces Azat “Crazy A” Hovhanisyan (21-4, 17 KOs) in a fight that could help push the former toward a battle with pound-for-pound contender Naoya Inoue.
Also, Mayweather’s protege Curmel Moton will fight Victor Vazquez. Moton, 18, is one of the top young boxing prospects in the world. He’s had 64 amateur fights and is 4-0 as a professional, with 3 KOs in his career.
The fight with Vazquez is the next step-up match for the Salt Lake City native.