HARTFORD, Conn. – John Gotti III (2-1, 1 KO) has a chance at redemption on Saturday, October 3, when he collides with Daniel “The Eagle Catcher” Augare (3-4, 3 KOs) in a highly anticipated rematch. The six-round light heavyweight contest tops CES Boxing’s Autumn Classic 2026 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT.
Gotti III was having his way with Augare in their initial encounter, which took place last October at Foxwoods Resort Casino. The Oyster Bay, New York resident was controlling the action through two rounds and landing at will against Augare, who took the bout on short notice.
When Gotti dropped the Montana native in round three, it seemed as though the end was near. It was, but instead of Gotti III securing the stoppage, it was Augare who landed a series of power punches punctuated by a thunderous left hook to the chin that brought the contest to a sudden end. The dramatic victory handed Augare the biggest win of his boxing career, while Gotti III was left to reflect on what went wrong.
The first meeting came after a difficult fight week for Gotti III. The 33-year-old had spent his entire training camp preparing for James Hagler Jr., the southpaw grandson of legendary middleweight champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler, before a training injury forced Hagler to withdraw the week before the bout.
Augare stepped in on short notice, forcing Gotti to adjust to an unfamiliar orthodox opponent with little time to prepare. Complicating matters further, Gotti III battled a stomach bug during fight week that appeared to sap his energy as the fight progressed.
Nevertheless, Augare made the most of the opportunity handed to him. Despite falling behind early, the 34-year-old member of the Blackfeet Nation remained confident and dangerous, catching lightning in a bottle to pull off the massive upset.
While the first fight was full of surprises, this time, both men know what to expect from the other.
What gives Gotti III additional confidence is that he is no stranger to high pressure rematches. The New Yorker fought valiantly in two exciting exhibition bouts against the legendary Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2023 and 2024. Now, the challenge is to turn the early success he enjoyed against Augare into a complete performance while remaining alert to the power coming back.
While Gotti III believes that a full training camp focused on Augare will prepare him for victory tonight, Augare derives his confidence from both his power and the fact that he will also have a full training camp.
“This is what makes a rematch so exciting,” says CES Boxing Founder Jimmy Burchfield Sr. “John was controlling the first fight, and Daniel turned everything around with his power. John wants to avenge that loss, and Daniel wants to prove he can do it again. There’s a lot on the line for both men, and the fans in Hartford are going to see two fighters looking to make a statement.”
Their first encounter showed that Gotti can control the action – and that Augare can change it in an instant. Whether Gotti can maintain that control or “The Eagle Catcher” can find another opening is what makes their second meeting so compelling.
On October 3 in Hartford, Gotti gets his chance at redemption – and Augare gets his chance to do it again.
This release first ran in the official CES Boxing program book for Autumn Classic 2026: Pink Out (October 3, 2026, Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford, CT).
