Retired boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., 47, returned to the ring for an exhibition rematch against John Gotti III in Mexico City, drawing a large audience due to his fame and undefeated record.
Despite being retired since 2017, Mayweather dominated Gotti III with his elusive boxing style.
The fight was marred by controversies, including issues with the bell and referee, leading to complaints from GottI's corner and referee changes, with Mayweather at one point shoving the referee's arm and demanding a new one.
Although Mayweather won the 16-minute bout decisively, the rematch fell short of expectations, with fans expressing disappointment over Gotti's lack of aggression and the overall quality, booing and trying to drown out Mayweather during his interview.
Mayweather threw illegal rabbit punches without penalty, and the referee was replaced after the second round without explanation. Gotti attempted to steal the spotlight by provoking Mayweather with kisses and letting his guard down, leading to direct punches from Mayweather.
From the sixth round on, fatigue was evident in both boxers as they resorted to clinches, Mayweather continued throwing right hands.
He retired with an unbeaten record of 50 fights but continued to box in exhibitions. He revealed he has a deal to fight at least three more times, possibly against another high-profile opponent.
Mayweather is considered one of the greatest boxers in history, having won titles in five different divisions. He retired with an unbeaten record of 50 fights but continued to box in exhibitions.
In the undercard, Mayweather's protege Curmel Moton, aged 18, won with a KO in 55 seconds, improving to 5-0 as a professional with four knockouts. Moton shows similarities to Gervonta Davis in his size and punching power and is considered a promising prospect.
The Exhibition Tour continued with a fight between Arlenn Sanchez and Cecilia Rodriguez, with Rodriguez winning by unanimous decision in the light flyweight bout.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: BBC, AP News, MMA Junkie, Forbes, USA Today, Barron's, The Sun, Al Jazeera, El Liberal, Proceso, El Heraldo SLP, La Razón, El Universal, Esto, Debate, RPC TV, El Orbe, SportBible.