The next boxing exhibition in which the undefeated champion Floyd Mayweather will participate will occur in June. According to TMZ Sports, the World Boxing Council (WBC) will give Mayweather a unique Juneteenth belt on June 11 to commemorate the holiday. During the exhibition boxing match in Florida, Mayweather will square up against John Gotti III, the grandson of the convicted crime boss family king, John Gotti.
The WBC also stated that Mayweather is not the only person who will receive the specially-made belt. The belts will also be given to three other boxers fighting on the card that night to receive recognition for their social contributions. These fighters include Robert Smith, James McNair, and Deon Taylor.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán said Mayweather and the other boxers were chosen to receive this recognition because “Juneteenth is a national holiday and Floyd Mayweather is the best representative for success and glory through hard work and dedication. The WBC will thank and support these four great men who make life better for all every single day.”
The belt features broken chains, hands shaking, and the usual “WBC World Champion” etched on the front with “Juneteenth” underneath.
Juneteenth, short for “June Nineteenth,” marks the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to issue an order declaring all enslaved people were freed. Juneteenth only became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, but is considered the longest-running African American holiday, according to history.com.
MMA Fighting reported last month that Mayweather’s opponent is also undefeated as a boxer. He is 2-0, and as an MMA fighter, Gotti has a 5-1 record. After going undefeated in his first four fights, the 30-year-old lost a unanimous decision in October 2020 to Nick Alley. Two years later, Gotti made his pro boxing debut in October 2022, beating Alex Citrowske and Albert Tulley in those two fights.