Saturday night at Mexico City’s iconic Big Bola Casino, and broadcast on DAZN PPVpromoters Fernando Beltran (Promociones Zanfer), Floyd Mayweather (Mayweather Promotions), and Richard Schaefer (Mayweather Promotions) presented an 8×2 round rematch exhibition between former multi-division world champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and John Gotti III. The match gave fans little to cheer about and gave boxing another black eye.
In the first round, after mostly going through the motions, the bell rang, and Gotti had to inform referee Hector Afu that the round had ended. At the end of the second round, the “circus continued” with Mayweather waving the referee out of the ring to be replaced. Gotti barely threw a punch, and Mayweather landed a few jabs. In the third round the farce continued with Gotti against the ropes doing nothing but complaining. Mayweather landed what little there was. In the fourth round, it was all Mayweather for what was landed. In the fifth round, Mayweather landed what little was landed, with Gotti landing one left hook. In the sixth round, the new referee had little control over what was happening, with Mayweather landing what was landed. The seventh round saw more of the same, with Mayweather landing the fewest. In the eighth and final round, the fans started booing with good reason. Mayweather, who finished his career at 50-0, and Gotti 2-0? The fans booed as ring announcer Jimmy Lennon called for a round of applause for both.
In an exhibition, Super Welterweight southpaw ‘Vicious’ Victor Ortiz, 33-7-3 (25), of Garden City, KS, by no decision because it was an exhibition, against southpaw Rodrigo ‘Tanko’ Cordia, 21-8- 1 (11), from MEX, Houston, TX, over 8×2 rounds. In the first four rounds, both southpaws gave the fans something to cheer about. In the last four rounds it slowed down.
In the co-feature, WBC Silver Super Bantam Champion and #1 ranked Alan Picasso, 29-0-1 (16), #121.5, of Mexico City, MEX, ‘Crazy A’ Azat Hovhannisyan, 21-5 (17) defeated ), #121.7, from Armenia and LA, CA, over 12 solid rounds. For some reason, they allowed part of the Picasso entourage, after doing the ring walk, to come into the ring and still sing, holding things up. In the first two rounds, Picasso landed Hovhannisyan.
In the third round, Picasso went to the body, with Hovhannisyan countering. In the fourth round, Hovhannisyan was deducted a point for a low blow that Picasso had on the canvas by referee Hector Afu. From the fifth to the seventh round it went back and forth with Picasso having an edge.
In the eighth round, it was all action, although several clinches occurred in between. In the ninth round, Picasso was doing well until the final seconds when Hovhannisyan landed a flurry of punches. In the tenth round, although with a lot of swelling under both eyes, Hovhannisyan had a good round.
In the eleventh round, the action continued through both in another close round. The twelfth and final round was action-packed for the most part, with Hovhannisyan holding a slight edge. Scores of 118-110 twice and especially 120-108 seemed way out of line.
Super Middle Southpaw Louis ‘Zurdo’ Rodriguez, 15-1 (14), #122, of Mexico City, MEX, lost by majority decision to Cesar Vaca, 17-1-1 (11), #124, of Guadalajara, MEX, more than 10 rounds.
In the first two rounds, Rodriguez followed Vaca around the ring with little action. In the third round, both mixed it up well in the last minute. In the next three rounds, Rodriguez tried to engage Vaca and when he did, he occasionally landed right on the chin. In the seventh round, Rodriguez decided to do what Vaca had done for the last three rounds, nothing.
There was little action in the ninth. In the tenth and final round, Vaca picked Rodriguez apart, with his best round. Referee Alfredo Uruzquieta. Scores: 95-95, 97-94 and 98-92.
Lightweight 18-year-old prospect Curmel Melton, 5-0 (4), #134 ½, of Las Vegas, NV, stopped Victor Vazquez, 5-3-1 (0), #137, of Tapachula, MEX, at 0 : 55 from the first round of a scheduled 6 rounds. In the first round, a left hook from Melton was followed by three punches to the chin, which dropped Vazquez. He tried to beat the score when referee Laurentino Ramirez Oropeza waved it off.
Silver Middle Aaron Silva, 16-1 (12), of Monterrey, MEX, stopped late sub Alberto ‘Pollo’ Artiga, 6-14 (2), of MEX, in 3 rounds of a scheduled 8 rounds. In the first round, Artiga suffered a small cut on the bridge of his nose. In the third round, Silva landed three unanswered punches, forcing the referee to stop.
Light Fly sub Arlen Sanchez, 5-7-4 (1), of Tlalnepantla, MEX, lost to Cecilia Rodriguez, 14-1-1 (6), of Monterrey, MEX, over 8×2 competitive rounds. In the first two rounds, Sanchez made a fight of it, although he lost both rounds. In the third round, Sanchez began to slow down, with Rodriguez taking the round. In the fourth and fifth rounds, Sanchez got her second wind, outworking Rodriguez. In the sixth round Rodriguez came back well and went with uppercuts to the body. In the seventh and eighth and final rounds, it was Sanchez who landed Rodriguez. Referee Alfredo Uruzquieta.
Ring announcer Jimmy Lennon, Jr.
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