Sports

Floyd Mayweather Fires Referee Mid-Fight During Gotti Bout

Mayweather v Gotti III - Exhibition Fight

(Photo by Medios y Media/Getty Images)

Mariane Angela News Reporter
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Floyd Mayweather took matters into his own hands Saturday during his rematch against John Gotti by dismissing the referee mid-match, TMZ reported.

The incident occurred when referee Hector Afu penalized Mayweather for a right hook, which Mayweather and many ringside observers believed was legal. The 47-year-old Mayweather gestured for Afu to exit the ring, resulting in Afu’s departure amid a heated verbal exchange, according to TMZ.

The firing of the referee mid-fight proved to be the most intense action of the night, as the match itself featured no knockdowns and lacked the dynamic exchanges expected from such high-profile fighters, TMZ reported. Unlike their previous encounter, which ended in a wild brawl and a disqualification for Gotti for excessive holding, the exhibition fight concluded without official scoring or a declared winner, though commentators concurred that Mayweather had the upper hand throughout. (RELATED: Video Captures Jake Paul Running Away From Floyd Mayweather After Brief Confrontation)

Gotti’s performance during the fight was subdued as he frequently looked towards the newly appointed referee for support, rather than taking the fight to Mayweather, Sports Illustrated reported. Mayweather overpowered Gotti throughout the match, outpunching him with minimal retaliation.

In an unexpected twist, Gotti even attempted a kiss on Mayweather. As the eighth and concluding round unfolded, the crowd’s boos intensified as the fighters seemed to cater to the exhibition’s theatrical nature, according to Sports Illustrated.