World Boxing Council (WBC) President Mauricio Sulaiman has recently made an intriguing announcement. The legendary five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs), set to face John Gotti III in an exhibition fight, will receive a special honor. Sulaiman confirmed to TMZ Sports that the WBC will present Mayweather with a unique Juneteenth-themed title for this upcoming exhibition. The high-profile event is scheduled to take place on June 11 in Florida, merely a week before the significant federal holiday.
This move by the WBC underscores the historical importance of Juneteenth and its connection to the sporting world. The Council plans to commemorate the day as part of the weekend's events, not only with the unique title for Mayweather but also by acknowledging Robert Smith, James McNair, and Deon Taylor for their societal contributions. Sulaiman lauded Mayweather as “the best representative for success and glory through hard work and dedication.” He further added, “The WBC will thank and support these four great men who make life better for all every single day.”
This isn’t the first time the WBC has created a Juneteenth-themed title. In 2021, they introduced the “Freedom Belt,” awarded to Jermall Charlo following his victory over Juan Macias Montiel on June 19th. As for the forthcoming match against Gotti, it’s purely an exhibition with no judges and no official winner. Since retiring from professional boxing in 2017, the 46-year-old Mayweather has participated in several exhibition bouts, with the Gotti fight marking his second of 2022.
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