It has to related to marines action against Doffy and specially how Fujitora reacted.
I'll quote back on it after reading post WCI story seriously again. Coz i wasn't liking WCI so didn't read most of the chapters seriously.
No it was a call back to reverie event.
It isn't just one event, its overall portrayal of Mihawk.
His Eyes can track people from the crowd of 100s of people
He can fight a commander without even looking and fully unfocused. Katakuri would be cut like shit in the same situation despite Future Sight
They say Mihawk's Eyes can kill a man
His Original Nick Name was literally meant to be
Clairvoyant
"a person who claims to have a supernatural ability to perceive events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact."
Constant zoom ins on Mihawk's Eyes
His Eyes literally freezing Luffy and made him fear death
At this point to suggest it isn't some God Tier CoO and just an artistic choice is just being delusional.