Just under two weeks after helping Team USA win the gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Anthony Davis is in Mexico for another big event, the exhibition boxing bout between Floyd Mayweather and John Gotti III. Davis was part of Mayweather’s entourage and walked out to the ring with him for the fight.
Floyd Mayweather makes his ring walk in Mexico 🇲🇽#MayweatherGotti | Aug 24 | Live on DAZN: click link in bio to buy pic.twitter.com/6l6DiLnwRi
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) August 25, 2024
It had been reported that Anthony Edwards would be walking out with Mayweather as well, but I don’t see the Minnesota Timberwolves star in that group. Perhaps he had to pull out for some reason.
There was one other NBA player there, though. Right behind Davis in that ring walk was his Los Angeles Lakers teammate Jarred Vanderbilt. The two appeared to have arrived for the fight together.
Anthony Davis is in the building to watch Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs John Gotti III ⭐
(via @DAZNBoxing)
pic.twitter.com/WWDr8X9MJO
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 25, 2024
I believe this is the first time Mayweather has had NBA players accompany him to the ring. Previously, he had been accompanied by the likes of Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, and Snoop Dogg.
While Mayweather ended his professional boxing career in 2017 with a 50-0 record, he has taken part in quite a few exhibition fights since then. One of those was against Gotti back in June 2023 in Florida and that bout was stopped in the sixth round after the two men refused to stop talking trash. We witnessed an infamous brawl in the ring after that.
Complete chaos after the Floyd Mayweather-John Gotti III fight was stopped 😳
(via @The_ZeusNetwork)pic.twitter.com/SLys8fI4as
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 12, 2023
Fortunately, nothing of this sort happened in the rematch. We did see Mayweather have a referee kicked out and replaced by another, though, which was quite the sight.
Floyd was HEATED at the ref 😳
A new referee was replaced moments later 😅
(via @DAZNBoxing) https://t.co/60JEYMwsWo
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 25, 2024
There was no winner announced for this fight as per exhibition rules, but Mayweather clearly did have the upper hand against Gotti, an MMA fighter turned boxer. The 47-year-old is nowhere near his best now but did show some flashes of his former self.
As for Davis’ presence at this fight, he does appear to have some interest in boxing. In July 2023, Davis showed off his boxing skills in a video that went viral on social media.
A few months later, his teammate Austin Reaves revealed Davis was telling everyone that he could “throw hands” after his boxing workouts. It would be quite fun to see the big man participate in an exhibition fight after he retires from the NBA, but I doubt he will go that route.
Anyway, for now, Davis will be focusing on having another great season with the Lakers in 2024-25. The 31-year-old impressed one and all last season by averaging 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game. The nine-time All-Star made the NBA All-Defensive First Team and finished fourth in voting for DPOY as well.
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