Floyd Mayweather Has Announced That He Will Take on Tenshin Nasukawa in a Boxing Exhibition Match on New Year’s Eve…
One thing is certain: many fans have lost a tonne of respect for Floyd Mayweather in the past couple of weeks. There was the shock announcement that he was set to take on Japanese kickboxing sensation Tenshin Nasukawa in an exhibition fight on New Year’s Eve, in Tokyo’s Saitama Super Arena, under the RIZIN banner.
When the news of that deal was announced, it was clear that Mayweather wasn’t very familiar with his opponent. The rules had yet to be decided. Obviously, when he went home and googled Tenshin, he must have wet himself because he panicked and tried to say he was tricked into doing a full press conference and posing with MMA gloves.
Now the fight seems to be back on, with straight boxing rules – in a move that will heavily favour ‘Money’ – and most importantly no kicks whatsoever. Watch the footage below, courtesy of TMZ.
Exhibition
This will be a nine-minute exhibition, with three three-minute rounds. Mayweather is obviously terrified of getting decapitated by one of Tenshin’s freakish kicks, so he’s pushed for straight boxing rules.
“It’s gonna be a little boxing exhibition, no kicking at all,” Mayweather told TMZ. “I’m moving around with the guy for nine minutes, and of course it’s gonna be the highest paid exhibition ever. Mayweather Promotions/RIZIN. It’s a no-brainer. Just because I’m retired from boxing, I still make appearances worldwide and make a ton of money.”
Is there any point even watching this? Mayweather is bigger and stronger than Tenshin, who has never boxed professionally in his life before. Just head kick him, please. We’ll crowdfund your purse back for you.
Damage
Chael Sonnen believes that Mayweather’s brand is irreparably damaged. On his podcast he said:
“The only thing more embellished than Floyd Mayweather’s pay-per-view buys is Floyd Mayweather’s net worth. But his spending habits are real. We know he has to fight again but the fact that he would go and offer his services in a stunt fight over in Japan under “yet to be specified rules,” this is very bad for the brand. And for him to try to unwind that and the come back to America. Look, it’s tough and Floyd stubbed his toe on this one.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAwoEcQ4SCs
Risk
You have to wonder how seriously Mayweather is taking Tenshin’s challenge. Sure it’s an exhibition, but the young Japanese fighter will see this as a chance to make the world take notice of him. He’s 20-years-old and a rising star in MMA and kickboxing.
We saw Mayweather take his time putting McGregor away. Nasukawa has a kickboxer’s cardio, and with only three rounds, there’s going to be some high-velocity action. Will the veteran American boxer be able to hang with a kid less than half his age? With the rules set so heavily in ‘Money’s favour, it will be incredibly embarrassing for him if he gets schooled by a man making his boxing debut.
