MIAMI: Floyd Mayweather, the former world boxing champion, will face John Gotti III, the grandson of the renowned former New York crime leader, in an exhibition match in June in South Florida.
Mayweather retired from boxing in 2017 after going undefeated in 50 fights, but he continues to compete in contests that do not count toward his career record.
Gotti, 30, had a 5-1 MMA record, with his most recent outing being a loss to Nick Alley in 2020. Gotti is 2-0 in boxing since making the transition.
The fighter is the grandson of John Gotti, the head of the Gambino crime family who died in prison in 2002.
Gotti, speaking at a press conference with Mayweather, said he had been a fan of Hall of Famer Mayweather since he was a young child but that he was ready to take him on in the ring in Sunrise.
“Make no mistake, June 11, I’m bringing bad intentions to that man,” he said. “And I don’t care if it’s an exhibition or not, you started to fight me. It’s no quarter. So it’s kill or be killed.”
Mayweather has previously fought reality television stars and You Tube fighters in some of his exhibitions but Gotti promised he would be a tougher opponent.
“I think I should take the fight to him,” he said. “I’m going to show him different looks, something that these past YouTubers, whatever you want to call them, didn’t do because they all suck.”
Mayweather said he had been trying to set up a fight with Gotti for two years and was a friend of his father, John Gotti Jr.
“I’m friends with his dad. That’s what people don’t know. I’ve always been friends with the Gotti family. That’s what a lot of people don’t know,” Mayweather said.
“For 27 years, I’ve been competing at the highest level. And I will continue to have fun, entertain, until I’m ready to say, you know what? Enough is enough.”