Outside of an odd second round, there was no controversy surrounding the rematch between Floyd Mayweather and John Gotti III in Mexico City.
The fight went the distance, and if one scored the contest, it would have been a one-sided showcase from the legendary Mayweather.
Gotti came into the fight as focused as ever, promising a knockout. While he landed solid inside shots, Mayweather’s defense, which helped him during his Hall of Fame career, was too smooth. His fast hands were too much for Gotti to handle at various points.
The fight almost went off without a hitch. The second round saw Mayweather switch the referee out mid-fight. That almost started another brawl between both camps, but things resolved quickly.
MORE: Can a boxer fire a referee? Controversial call made in Mayweather-Gotti III exhibition
Gotti complained about multiple shots behind the head, but no points could be taken off, and Mayweather only got a stern warning. He responded by smiling, talking to those on the outside, and playing with his food. Both embraced as the contest ended.
Mayweather earned another paycheck to add to his recent endeavors after retiring from the pro level in 2017. He rejected rumors he would fight the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez, 62. As for Gotti, it is unknown what is next for the MMA fighter, boxer, and grandson of notorious gangster John Gotti.
The co-main saw a battle of legitimate contenders.
Top-ranked Alan Picasso and former contender Azat Hovhannisyan competed in a hard-hitting affair for WBC super bantamweight bragging rights. With open scoring in play, both kicked it up a notch. Picasso was leading on the cards, especially after Hovhannisyan got deducted a point for multiple shots below the belt, but they didn’t coast through the fight.
They both played it close to the vest. Hovhannisyan tried landing body shots, while Picasso used his reach to land jabs and overhand blows. The judges scored the fight in favor of Picasso.
Is a date with super bantamweight king, multi-division champion, and pound-for-pound fighter Naoya Inoue in his future?
Former Mayweather opponent Victor Ortiz returned to the ring for the first time since 2022 and went all eight rounds in an exhibition fight against Damian Coria. The former world champion looked slow to start but picked up the pace in the later rounds. No winner was announced.
Ortiz expects to compete in a pro fight next week, making this a test of his formerly dominant skills.
Meanwhile, Mayweather protege Curmel Moton only needed 55 seconds to beat Victor Vazquez, who last fought in 2018. The 18-year-old continues his progress in the ring with his third win of 2024.
The Sporting News provided results from the entire Mayweather vs. Gotti 2 fight card.
Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III 2 full card results
- Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III 2 - went the distance- exhibition - no winner
- Alan Picasso def. Azat Hovhannisyan via unanimous decision (118-110, 118-110, 120-108)
- Victor Ortiz vs. Damian Coria went the distance- exhibition - no winner
- Curmel Moton def. Victor Vazquez via KO (0:55 into round one)
- Cesar Vaca def. Luis Rodriguez via majority decision (95-95, 97-94, 98-92)
- Aaron Silva def. Alberto Artiga via TKO
- Jursly Vargas def. Bryan Carrillo Feliciano via unanimous decision
- Cecilia Rodriguez def. Arlenn Sanchez via unanimous decision
- Sekaye Terry def. Carlos Rosas Martinez via unanimous decision
- John Easter def. Gilberto Flores via TKO
- Trenton Brown def. Jose Antonio Munoz Guadarrama via TKO