After a DQ finish resulted in an in-ring brawl, security lost control of the arena as fans continued to fight and stormed backstage.
The Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III exhibition bout broke out into a real fight on Sunday night after referee Kenny Bayless waved the match off in the sixth round.
Things were getting increasingly out of control in the ring as Mayweather taunted Gotti, hitting him from all angles and dancing away from any offense. The only thing Gotti could do was grab onto Mayweather and hold him. With both entourages getting riled up and neither fighter listening to his instructions, the referee made the decision to shut things down.
No one listened to that decision.
Gotti immediately stormed around the referee to attack Mayweather. Mayweather put his guard back up to continue fighting. The ring was suddenly full of people shoving each other as a full on brawl broke out. Soon after a smirking Mayweather was led out of the cage into the back of the arena.
Me and @missnatalienunn ringside for #MayweatherGotti !!!! Entire brawl broke out!!!! pic.twitter.com/CzCjfGDJxi
— Claressa Gwoat Shields (@Claressashields) June 12, 2023
Following the brawl that unleashed in the ring @FloydMayweather, heads to the back #MayweatherGotti pic.twitter.com/TM6RelWej1
— Sporting News Fights (@sn_fights) June 12, 2023
But the violence didn’t stop there. Reports from the event have the fans ‘completely taking over the building.’ Everyone was in the ring, and someone took a microphone and started messing around on it. Complete bedlam ensued.
Fans took over the ring after the Mayweather -Gotti brawl, one drunk woman took the mic and started talking lol it was a wild scene #MayweatherGotti https://t.co/0DWvLPOvox pic.twitter.com/zd8jqEto2H
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) June 12, 2023
Crowd violence at #MayweatherGotti pic.twitter.com/CNW6emfAwh
— Boxing Kingdom (@BoxingKingdom14) June 12, 2023
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) June 12, 2023
Backstage was a s—show as well with mobs of people pushing and shoving and fighting each other.
The #MayweatherGotti teams are still going at it backstage after the in-ring brawl
(via @MirrorFighting) pic.twitter.com/hKQjtb498C
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunchPromo) June 12, 2023
Two guys jumped at #MayweatherGotti fight back. pic.twitter.com/Z5zQbKIlpr
— Boxing Kingdom (@BoxingKingdom14) June 12, 2023
Even reality TV stars got involved. Here’s Joseline Hernandez of VH1 reality series Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta fame kicking Big Lex from Joseline’s Caberet.
Joseline Hernandez fighting at the Floyd Mayweather vs Gotti fight pic.twitter.com/jRKYUqc18Q
— Baller Alert (@balleralert) June 12, 2023
— Baller Alert (@balleralert) June 12, 2023
Not Joseline slapping a random chick, that chick throws a drink on her, and then tryna find her and get her lick back….and then one of Joseline’s people’s swang at her at the end!! Messy lol smh ??? pic.twitter.com/vWDM41Jkpr
— Brave (@soulfullybrave) June 12, 2023
The whole thing was a gigantic mess, and may make many venues think twice about hosting one of these Mayweather exhibitions, which have only been getting more ridiculous and pointless as time goes on.