Mayweather Jr., at Gotti III, magkakaroon ng exhibition fight
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 7: Floyd Mayweather attends the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers on February 7, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)
Lalabanan ng dating world boxing champion na si Floyd Mayweather, Jr., si John Gotti III, ang apo ng sikat na dating New York crime boss, sa isang exhibition bout sa South Florida sa Hunyo.
Nagretiro si Mayweather mula sa boksing noong 2017, walang talo sa 50 laban, ngunit patuloy na lumalabas sa mga laban na hindi ibinibilang sa kaniyang career record.
Ang 30-anyos na si Gotti ay may 5-1 record sa mga laban sa MMA, kung saan pinakahuli ay nang matalo siya kay Nick Alley noong 2020. Pagkatapos lumipat sa boksing, si Gotti ay may 2-0 record.
Siya ay apo ni John Gotti, pinuno ng Gambino crime family na namatay sa kulungan noong 2002.
Sa isang panayam ay sinabi ni Gotti, na bata pa siya ay tagahanga na siya ng Hall of Famer na si Mayweather, Jr., ngunit handa aniya siya na kalabanin ito sa ring.
Ayon kay Gotti, “Make no mistake, June 11, I’m bringing bad intentions to that man. 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.”
Dati na ring lumaban si Mayweather sa reality television stars at You Tube fighters sa ilan sa kaniyang exhibitions, pero nangako si Gotti na mas magiging mahirap siyang kalaban.
Sinabi ni Gotti, “I think I should take the fight to him. 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.”
Ayon kay Mayweather, dalawang taon na niyang tinatangkang mag-set up ng laban kay Gotti, at kaibigan aniya nito ang kaniyang tatay na si John Gotti, Jr.
Sinabi ni Mayweather, “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.”
Dagdag pa nito, “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.”
© Agence France-Presse
