BOXING
John Gotti III says he’s in talks with Floyd Mayweather Jr. for a rematch later this year
The Long Island fighter admitted that there’s no bad blood with ‘Money’ despite the brawl at the end of their exhibition fight.
Many few people would have imagined that Floyd Mayweather Jr. and John Gotti III would meet in a boxing ring again after the chaotic scenes that were seen at Fla Live Arena, Florida, two weeks ago.
Mayweather Jr., considered one of the best defensive boxers of all time, dominated his opponent during the six rounds of the event.
In the sixth round, Gotti, who belongs to New York’s notorious Gambino crime family, had Mayweather by the ropes, and for some reason, the referee decided to call off the fight.
Gotti III, with a pro-boxing record of 2-0 and 5-1 in MMA, didn’t like the decision and attacked Mayweather Jr., which led to a massive brawl between the two sides.
The fight continued backstage, with the team and family members of both men seen throwing punches and kicks.
A rematch in the making?
Although Mayweather Jr. has never fought the same opponent in an exhibition, that could change soon.
Despite saying that Mayweather Jr. would be his “enemy for life”, things seem to have cooled down since then and Gotti III now says that there’s no more hate between the two of them.
“He wanted to talk, and I wanted no part of it,” Gotti III told MMA journalist Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour.
“I didn’t want to talk to him. My father, however, went to his locker room, and they talked and hashed it out. Listen, there’s no animosity toward Floyd. I said he was my enemy for life out of anger, but he’s not my enemy”, he added.
While things got heated in the ring after the fight, Gotti said that they have started conversations and there could be a rematch if they get to an agreement:
“We’re in talks right now, actually, to do something. So we’ll see where it goes. From what I understood, after the fight, it was the most Googled thing in the whole world”, he stated.
“I still have respect for Floyd. Even at 46, you see him in the ring, how great he is. At 46 his reflexes are phenomenal...his speed. Listen, it was a great experience to share the ring with Floyd. It’s a memory I’ll never forget for the rest of my life, that’s for sure”, he concluded.
Mayweather was the better boxer when they both met at Fla Live Arena earlier this month, but the controversy after the clash may add some spice that could translate into more money if they reach an agreement to fight again.