Tag Archives: floyd

Posted on 12/31/2018

By: Sean Crose

John Kavanaugh, the trainer of MMA superstar Conor McGregor, is reportedly uneasy about McGregor fighting again unless it’s an IMPORTANT fight – a rematch with one of his former top MMA foes, perhaps. Why has the man behind the UFCs biggest superstar gotten hesitant about his fighter’s future? One of the factors is reportedly that McGregor was knocked down by a Khabib Nurmagomedov punch during McGregor’s last fight. As far as Kavanaugh is concerned, the old Conor would never have endured such a shot. It’s easy to take this report as an indication that perhaps McGregor, who is nothing if not game, is simply starting to slip after too many cage wars. Then, however, his 2017 boxing match against Floyd Mayweather comes to mind.

Something few talk about is how badly beaten up McGregor was during that fight. Sure, the man had some good rounds, but as the bout wore on, Mayweather laid a beating on the guy, a slow, methodical beating. In the tenth round, Mayweather landed 16-20 clean and unanswered head shots before referee Robert Byrd wisely stepped in and stopped the fight. That’s 16-20 shots, from a professional boxer. Not just a professional boxer, but a professional boxer who most consider to be the best of his generation. Such things have an impact…just as Mayweather’s one sided thrashing of Japanese MMA star Tenshin Nasukawa today will undoubtedly impact Nasukawa’s psyche and perhaps his future career.

Boxing isn’t like other combat sports. It relies on slickness and fluidity in a way others don’t. For this reason, some fans – and even a few participants – of other combat sports tend to write boxing off as a wimpy cousin, something that a “real fighter” doesn’t need to take too seriously. Such thinking is fine outside the ring. Once the participant from another sport engages in an actual boxing match, however, things can literally become dangerous. I’ve little doubt George Foreman could have crushed Muhammad Ali in a parking lot. The two men didn’t fight in a parking lot, however, they fought in a boxing ring – and Ali laid Foreman out. Something to think about.

Nasukawa was – and still should be – seen as an incredibly impressive athlete. Watch clips of him that don’t involve Mayweather and it’s hard not to be impressed. He’s a buzzsaw with skill, a guy who can use his hands and feet with frightening speed and precision. It’s easy to see why people thought it was a good idea for him to fight Mayweather. Like McGregor, Nasukawa’s camp probably assumed that Floyd couldn’t really hurt their man. Mayweather’s never been known as a power puncher, after all. What, they probably asked themselves, was the worst that could happen against a 41 year old former ring great? It’s doubtful anyone on Nasukawa’s team thought for a second that Mayweather would demolish their man the way he did today.

For the uninitiated, the fight didn’t make it past the first round. Floyd, smiling in a way that was reminiscent of a prime Jack Johnson, simply walked his man down and punched the guy’s lights out, dropping the far smaller Nasukawa a total of three times before the poor kid’s corner wisely stepped in and stopped things. Afterwards, the twenty year old Nasukawa cried, while the 41 year old Mayweather danced. There was reason, after all, for the man to dance. Word is he earned nine million dollars for under three minutes’ work. Some are now saying the fight was fixed. That seems like silliness to me. The only thing that seems fixed is a mindset that says Floyd isn’t a dangerous fighter…and that boxing, at least in relation to other combat sports, isn’t that dangerous of an endeavor.

Enter at your own risk.

Posted on 12/28/2018

By: Hans Themistode

For the 5,000th time Floyd Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) will once again come out of retirement to step back in to the world of combat. This time however will be a bit different as Floyd will be taking on kickboxing sensation Tenshin Nasukawa in a three round exhibition matchup on New Years Eve in Japan.

Are we supposed to believe this is a true fight like Floyd’s 49 victories? Or is it more along the lines of his 50th?

You remember the 50th fight of Floyd’s career don’t you?

It was against none other than UFC star fighter Conor McGregor. The matchup was built up to be a real fight and the toughest of his career. Fans all around the world soaked it in. After all Floyd was at the time 40 years of age and two years removed from his last professional fight. Conor on the other hand was not only much younger but he was also the significantly bigger man as well.

With that being said, those that knew boxing understood that Connor had no chance of winning that bout.

Floyd proceeded to do what many knew he would do. Punish Connor. Sure there were a few tough moments for Floyd but he still managed to bully and ultimately stop Connor in the 10th round. There was no doubt as to who would win that matchup.

Does his contest against Tenshin Nasukawa fall into the category of more farce than fight? Not quite.

So am I saying that this will be more along the lines of Floyd’s first 49 fights of his career? His resume is one of the very best ever. He has defeated a who’s who of all-time great boxers such as Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto to name a few. Should you place this bout amongst those?

No. This contest won’t be in the same stratosphere as those contest were.

So where does that leave us?

It seems as though we are right in the middle.

To many this is viewed as a money grab and rightfully so. It is after all a three round exhibition match that win, lose or draw won’t count on either mans record.

Now I really know what you’re thinking. This is absolutely a money grab right? Listen, with Floyd everything boils down to money. However, his opponent Tenshin Nasukawa is a real fighter. By the age of 18 he had already accumulated a kickboxing record of 99-5. His kickboxing record is 26-0. He has also managed to win many titles along the way. The word phenom is thrown around loosely but that would best describe Tenshin Nasukawa.

The details of exactly how much Floyd is expected to pocket from this contest remains a mystery. The money man has stated on numerous occasions over the years that it would take a nine figure payday to get him to fight again so we can assume that he will possibly receive about the same for this bout.

So once again is this a money grab? Yes and no?

For Floyd “Money” Mayweather it absolutely is. He lives a lavish lifestyle. Owns numerous expensive properties and some of the most exotic cars you can think of. With that being said, that kind of lifestyle is a hard one to keep up with. If Floyd viewed this as something more than just a cash grab then he wouldn’t care if this fight showed up on his record. It is perceived as an easy win, right?

The one thing Floyd cares about more than money is that shiny 0 in his loss column. To risk that against a complete unknown is something he will never place a price tag on. Knowing that record won’t be affected regardless of the outcome is a win-win situation for Floyd.

Who cares what happens.

Tenshin Nasukawa cares.

This is the biggest contest of his career and he will be looking to put on an absolute show. A win for him (albeit not counting record wise) will change his life forever. Floyd will still walk around with a spotless record but the taste of defeat will still be there.

For one man this is just an easy way to make nine figures once again. For the other it is his chance to make history.

Posted on 12/07/2018

Undefeated boxing legend Floyd “Money” Mayweather and sensational RIZIN Fighting Federation star Tenshin Nasukawa will battle in a special exhibition fight on New Year’s Eve from Saitama Prefecture Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

See below for quotes gathered from the media workout and press availability at Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas:

Floyd Mayweather:

“This is a great way for me to go out there and give people some entertainment. It’s an exhibition match, but it’s giving me a chance to do something different.

“I love competing against fighters from all walks of life like in my amateur days. It’s all about entertainment. Nine minutes of entertainment. It’s going to be amazing.

“I’m in the entertainment business. That’s what I go out there to do. I love to do this. I’m working out to put on a show for three rounds.

“I’m going to go out there, have fun and do what I do. I’m enjoying life and I’m going to enjoy this experience.”

Tenshin Nasukawa:

“This is my first time coming to Las Vegas and I’m very excited to be here. The fight is very close and I’m training hard every day to face Mayweather and leave a mark.

“This is a great opportunity and we’re happy to take it. I’m going to put everything out there and show my strengths. I think that I’m the faster fighter. I’m going to use my weapons against him.

“There’s never been a Japanese fighter to face Floyd Mayweather in the ring. As an athlete, this is something that’s a great honor and a challenging task. I’d like to make a big impression.

“I want to get the whole fight community, the whole country of Japan and the entire world involved in this fight. I’m going to go in there believing in myself and ready to prove myself.”

The attraction will be based on the following rules and regulations:

– Three minutes per round for three rounds

– Straight boxing rules

– Both will wear either RIZIN 8 ounce gloves

– Weight: 147lbs/67.7kg

– No judges

– This will be full contact competition, but the bout is not going on boxing or MMA records

FLOYD MAYWEATHER

A 12-time boxing world champion in five weight classes, Mayweather is one of the greatest to ever enter the ring, buoyed by box office success that saw him shatter nearly all of the revenue records in the sport’s history. Born in Grand Rapids, Mich., and fighting out of Las Vegas, he is the only fighter to have headlined four events that each generated more than 2 million pay-per-view buys. Forbes, Fortune and Sports Illustrated have all named Mayweather the world’s highest paid athlete multiple times throughout a career in which he defeated 24 world champions.

TENSHIN NASUKAMA
Tenshin Nasukawa was born in 1998 and trained in Karate and kickboxing from an early age by his trainer/father. Tenshin made his professional debut in 2014 at the age of 15 and has since claimed multiple world championships in kickboxing while remaining unbeaten. Tenshin is now the face for the Rizin Fighting Federation and their biggest headliner to date. Now aged just 20, Tenshin is a Japanese sensation whose main sponsor is a gaming giant called Cygames.

NOBUYUKI SAKAKIBARA – RIZIN CEO

Nobuyuki Sakakibara is a Japanese businessman most well-known for his role as boss of Pride Fighting Championship. Sakakibara sold Pride to Lorenzo Fertita of Zuffa LLC in 2007 in a widely publicized deal. In 2015 he founded Rizin, a new organisations that mixed different fight styles in a single event. Rizin is now the most watched fighting event in Japan.

RIZIN COMPANY
Rizin Fighting Federation has held 15 mega events since the promotion’s debut in December of 2015. Rizin is now recognized as the most watched combat sports event in Japan since Pride Fighting Championship. RIZIN has been a staple on primetime Japanese national television with a five-hour New Year’s Eve slot and watched in over 5.5 million households.

ONE ENTERTAINMENT

ONE Entertainment is a pioneer in the world of Entertainment Consulting, with over 20 years of experience in servicing celebrity clients and brands worldwide. ONE focuses on monetizing celebrity and entertainment brands by creating a customized approach for each client that maximizes exposure and profitability. ONE has concluded deals on six continents in over 22 countries and growing every day. The team at ONE has experience in all facets of entertainment, and they can serve your needs in film, TV, music, sports, live events, digital and entertainment business development.

Posted on 11/25/2018

By: Sean Crose

Former UFC fighter Daron Cruickshank, who is now with the RIZN combat sports outfit, was supposed to be on the December 31st Floyd Mayweather-Tenshin Nasukawa card in Japan. Now that the Mayweather-Nasukawa match has been put off, only to be back on again, the American fighter spoke his mind to TMZ about Mayweather’s chances against Nasukawa. “He’s like the Michael Jordan, over there, of kickboxing,” said Cruckshank of the Japanese star. “If they did a kickboxing match,” he added, “I think Tenshin would win. If they did a regular kickboxing match, Tenshin would win.” And if it were a standard boxing match? “In a boxing match,” Cruckshank said, “I don’t think he (Nasukawa) would stand a chance.”

Photo Credit: @TeppenTenshin Twitter Account

Although he feels his RIZN teammate could potentially beat Mayweather “depending on the fight,” Cruickshank clearly wants to see the two men face off regardless. “He is super fast,” Cruickshank said of Nasukawa. “I really like to watch him fight.” Although he described Nasukawa as being “really exciting,” Cruickshank made it plain in the brief video interview that the fight, should it still happen, would be merely an exhibition. “It’s not like a real fight,” he said. “We’ll see what happens.” The assertion that the bout would be an exhibition, were it to actually go down, was backed up recently by Mayweather, who told TMZ that “it’s gonna be a little boxing exhibition, no kicking at all…I’m moving around with the guy for nine minutes, and of course it’s gonna be the highest paid exhibition ever.”

The fight world was stunned this autumn when Mayweather, via a Japanese press conference, unexpectedly announced he would be fighting Nasukawa. The former pound for pound great abruptly stepped away from the fight just days later, only to come back and say a battle between he and Nasukawa would indeed happen.

Photo Credit: @TeppenTenshin Twitter Account

“From what I know,” said Cruickhsank, “I think there was…a language barrier” between Mayweather and RIZN. Cruickshank also made it obvious he’d still love to fight on a Mayweather-Nasukawa card. At the moment, however, it seems to be business as usual for Mayweather. Recent reports have the man spending over five million dollars during a recent shopping escapade. There’s also a talk of a fight with fellow Conor McGregor conqueror Khabib Nurmagomedov still floating in the air, as well as a potential rematch against arch rival Manny Pacquiao, who will be facing Mayweather protege Adrien Broner early in 2019.

Although he’s reportedly retired from boxing – at least on the most highly competitive level he long dominated, Mayweather still wants the world to know he’s willing to make money. “It’s a no-brainer,” Mayweather said in a recent video. “Just because I’m retired from boxing. I still make appearances worldwide and make a ton of money.”

Posted on 11/15/2018

By: Sean Crose

“We’re gonna make it happen,” Floyd Mayweather says on a TMZ video clip released on Thursday. He’s referring to a fight with Japanese kickboxing and MMA wunderkind Tenshin Nasukawa. The bout was recently announced to much fanfare by Mayweather, Nasukawa and Rizn Fighting Federation. Then, almost as soon as the news broke, Mayweather appeared to walk it back. “First and foremost,” Mayweather posted on Instagram within days of the announcement, “I want it to be clear that I, Floyd Mayweather, never agreed to an official bout with Tenshin Nasukawa.” It appeared then that matters might be settled, but this recent clip of Mayweather, as he emerges from Peter Marco’s jeweler in Beverely Hills, clearly suggests otherwise.

According to Mayweather, the bout will be an exhibition. “It’s going to be the highest paid exhibition ever,” he boasts to TMZ. “Just for promoting this event, so far I made 7 figures.” Mayweather is known to brag about his money, but in the clip, he defends himself against charges that he’s facing financial difficulty. “It’s more like this,” he says. “Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Oprah, they still go out there and do different things.” As for the belief that the former pound for pound kingpin may be strapped for cash?

“I’m far from hurting for money,” he says.

“It’s a no-brainer,” Mayweather adds in the clip. “Just because I’m retired from boxing. I still make appearances worldwide and make a ton of money.” Unlike his insanely lucrative novelty bout with Conor McGregor in the summer of 2017, Mayweather makes it clear that this bout will not go on his record. “Small, 9-minute exhibition,” he says. “It’s going to be a little boxing exhibition…no kicking at all.” The fight was originally supposed to go down on December 31st outside of Tokyo. No news has been presented as to when or where the match might now go down.

Posted on 11/09/2018

By: Kirk Jackson

It appears the highly publicized bout between Floyd Mayweather and Tenshin Nasukawa will not manifest after all.
Mayweather shocked the world earlier this week, revealing he signed with Japanese mixed martial arts promotions company RIZIN Fighting Federation, to fight 20-year-old Japanese kick boxer Tenshin Nasukawa on New Year’s Eve in Japan.

But the fight, Mayweather now claims, is void. He has called it off. In an Instagram statement now deleted, after he had left Japan and flown back to the US, Mayweather claimed he had been duped and that the fight was meant to be an exhibition for “a small group of wealthy spectators.”

Obviously there’s much to dissect and digest as there is a bit of confusion as to the original terms and conditions of the proposed bout, and what resulted in cancellation.

Fortunately for us terms of the contract leaked out.

The original rules of combat were never released to the public – being as it seemed they weren’t agreed to upon completion of the contract, or at the very least there was a lack of transparency from one side of the negotiating table. This lack of transparency was hinted on Mayweather’s Instagram page.

“Ultimately, I was asked to participate in a 9 minute exhibition of 3 rounds with an opponent selected by the ‘Rizen Fighting Federation,” Mayweather’s Instagram stated.

“What I was originally informed of by Brent Johnson of ‘One Entertainment’ was that this was to be an exhibition put on for a small group of wealthy spectators for a very large fee. This exhibition was previously arranged as a ‘Special Bout’ purely for entertainment purposes with no intentions of being represented as an official fight card nor televised worldwide.”

According to Mayweather, the press conference he and Nasukawa held earlier in the week to discuss the fight caught him and his team off-guard because of the details discussed. Mayweather claims they did not speak up at the press conference because they didn’t want to create a disturbance.

For his part Mayweather has since apologized to his fans again via Instagram.

“I can assure you that I too was completely blindsided by the arrangements that were being made without my consent nor approval. For the sake of the several fans and attendees that flew in from all parts of the world to attend this past press conference, I was hesitant to create a huge disturbance by combating what was being said and for that I am truly sorry.”

Now that the dust settled, even though this is an opportunity lost, it’s also an opportunity gained. In spite of the criticism from fellow boxing promoters, jealous mixed martial arts fighters, writers and even some boxers, this is a win for Mayweather and illustrates his command in the combat world.

Again for a moment in time, he illustrates the ability to command attention and command the big bucks in case there were those doubting.

He is doing the things that Conor McGregor and Canelo Alvarez want to do. He sets trends and breaks ground, but because of who he is, he doesn’t warrant the positive attention that comes with it.

Any publicity negative or positive is still publicity and keeps your name in the news cycle. People in the United States and worldwide now know of Nasukawa and RIZIN.

Mayweather has the attention he seeks.

Not to count another person’s pockets, as it’s uncertain if Mayweather needs the money, but this is more so a testament to the attention and potential amount of money that can be earned. The cherry on top is if he can make this amount of money with the minimal amount of risk.

Which is something Mayweather has been accused from by his critics regardless in spite of the weight classes climbed, the challenges he overcame, the twenty-plus world champions and multiple Hall of Famers he defeated.

But let this be a lesson learned to fully read through the terms and conditions of a contract before signing off and agreeing.

As mentioned earlier, all eyes again re on Mayweather, so what’s next?

Posted on 11/07/2018

By: Sean Crose

“First and foremost,” Floyd Mayweather claimed in a Wednesday Instagram post, “I want it to be clear that I, Floyd Mayweather, never agreed to an official bout with Tenshin Nasukawa.” For those not in the know, it was announced just days ago, and to great fanfare, that Mayweather would be facing undefeated kickboxing and MMA prodigy Nasukawa in a match under unspecified rules in Japan (Nasukawa’s home country) on December 31st, traditionally a big day for combat sports in Japan. Mayweather said he was making the announcement now that he was “ back on U.S. soil after a long and disappointing trip to Tokyo.”

Photo Credit: Floyd Mayweather Jr. Twitter Account

“I now have the time,” he stated in the post “to address you, my fans and the media in regards to the upcoming event on December 31st that was recently announced.” Mayweather went on to claim “with all due respect,” that he had “never heard of him (Nasukawa) until this recent trip to Japan.” According to Mayweather, he had been “asked to participate in a 9 minute exhibition of 3 rounds with an opponent selected by the ‘Rizen Fighting Federation’.”

The bout, Mayweather went on to say, “was to be an exhibition put on for a small group of wealthy spectators for a very large fee.” Mayweather explained that “this exhibition was previously arranged as a ‘Special Bout’ purely for entertainment purposes with no intentions of being represented as an official fight card nor televised worldwide.”

“Once I arrived to the press conference,” he wrote, “my team and I were completely derailed by the new direction this event was going.” Mayweather added that “we should have put a stop to it immediately.” The Vegas based star also added that he wanted to “sincerely apologize to my fans for the very misleading information that was announced during this press conference.” The 50-0 boxer claimed that the abrupt nature of the proceedings had a lot to do with the subsequent miscommunication.

“I can assure you,” he stated, “that I too was completely blindsided by the arrangements that were being made without my consent nor approval.” Furthermore, Mayweather argued that “for the sake of the several fans and attendees that flew in from all parts of the world to attend this past press conference, I was hesitant to create a huge disturbance by combating what was being said and for that I am truly sorry.”

The man largely regarded as the greatest boxer of his generation concluded by stating he is “a retired boxer that earns an unprecedented amount of money, globally, for appearances, speaking engagements and occasional small exhibitions.” Boxing Insider will keep readers updated if and when further details arise.

Posted on 11/06/2018

By: Kirk Jackson

The former pound-for-pound boxing king may no longer be regarded as an active boxer, but he remains a fixture in combat sports.

Whether rumored to rematch mixed-martial-arts star Conor McGregor, or set to face another undefeated star in the mma world Khabib Nurmagomedov, Floyd Mayweather remains an active headline.

Photo Credit: Floyd Mayweather Twitter Account

And those in tune with the living boxing legend may be privy to “Mayweather Curse.”

What’s the “Mayweather Curse” you ask? It’s simple, much to do about poking fun at coincidental instances revolving around Floyd Mayweather and some of his rivals over the past decade or so.

Noted rivals Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Ronda Rousey, Anderson Silva, Dana White and Conor McGregor appear to be victims of the “Mayweather Curse.”

They’ve all engaged in escalated trash-talk and some engaged in battle via the boxing ring.

Anderson Silva is no longer really a fixture within the mma world as far as competing, Rousey suffered two consecutive devastating knockouts in the UFC before parlaying a career into the world of fictional wrestling.

Financially McGregor is raking in the big bucks and doing exceptional; from a professional fighting stand point his career is in question after losing to Nurmagomedov and Mayweather consecutively.

De La Hoya has personal demons on public display in the news unfortunately, along with being linked to inappropriate, racist emails denigrating another person.
Pacquiao suffered defeat against Jeff Horn after losing to Mayweather and isn’t a strong fixture within the boxing scene as of now. Some of that is nature running its course as he has a long professional career and is heading towards the finish line.

Point being, Mayweather’s rivals have generally been on the wrong end of his wrath. These events could purely be coincidental right?

But here’s a different take on this “Mayweather curse.”

His public persona is that of a man boasting about his finances, women and lifestyle. He’s the Ric Flair of professional fighting.

He lived to that moniker for years on end; dominating across five weight classes, spanning across three decades, while collecting large checks and world titles.

To reach and maintain that level of greatness, one must be dedicated, hard-working, must be ego-driven and the mental capacity to place everything together.

But what comes with that is an addiction to fame, an addiction to the spotlight, the desire for attention and it’s fair to suggest Mayweather is a victim of that.

Eventually nature runs its course, nothing lasts forever and empires fall. The Mayweather Curse – as it applies to Mayweather is the curse of wanting more even though time has expired. But that want may end up damaging the foundation of what your success is based off of.

Boxing Legend Sugar Ray Leonard has a great quote in an interview with Nathan Rush from Athlon Sports & Life regarding life after boxing, the addiction to fame and difficulty finding purpose once a fighter realizes their career is over.

“It’s so seductive. The fame and the fortune — especially if you’re of that marquee level. The fame and fortune is so seductive that you don’t want to let it go. You always believe you have one more fight left in you,” said Leonard.

“And that’s the fault of most fighters, myself included. We think we have one more. And the fact that we train, we train hard. Training is one thing, that’s the easy part. Getting mentally prepared is another. Because we live the life of the caviar, private planes, suites in hotels and then we try to be that hungry fighter, that gladiator, that warrior who has to dig deep and show intestinal fortitude. But you don’t have it like that anymore. You just don’t have it that way. It’s a natural thing that we all lose at some point. We’re competitive but we’re not that competitive.”

Mayweather shocked the world when he revealed that he had signed with Japanese mixed martial arts promotions company RIZIN Fighting Federation to fight 20-year-old Japanese kick boxer Tenshin Nasukawa on New Year’s Eve in Saitama.

The undefeated 41-year-old has never fought professionally in mixed-martial-arts and it has yet to be decided what format and rules the fight would follow.
Mayweather’s last bout was in 2017 when he snapped a two-year retirement to pull off a TKO win in ten rounds over UFC superstar Conor McGregor, running his record to 50-0 and most importantly earning close to $300 million for the event he co-promoted.

While boxing rules restrict bouts to the use of fists, mma rules incorporate kicks, knees and elbow strikes, as well as wrestling, joint locks and chokes – all unfamiliar with Mayweather.

Mayweather is confident they would reach an agreement that would suit both fighters and appears confident with his abilities as an overall fighter.

“I can wrestle, I can wrestle a little bit. I can box a lot a bit,” Mayweather told Reuters. “We will just see. I can do it all. I can do anything if I set my mind to it.”

Nasukawa is contracted to RIZIN and competes in their championships in both mma and kickboxing.

Mayweather is stepping into another realm and it’s fair to suggest this is just another money grab. Questions remain as to how lucrative can this opportunity be for all parties involved and what are the lasting effects from this move?

Will other boxers follow suit and is Mayweather truly biting off more he can chew?

“I’ve been blessed to be in the sport a long time and to make over a billion dollars in the sport,” said Mayweather.

“But this particular bout is special as far as giving people something they’ve never seen before. I’m not really worried about the weight class or rules – it’s about me displaying my skills against another skillful fighter. I just want to entertain.”

Mayweather may be tempting fate, facing a fighter half his age with a skill-set he is unaccustomed to facing at the professional level.

The chances are he may get humbled in the form of a one-sided beating and or the money generated from this event may not be as significant as initially planned.

Essentially, the event must manifest before we can analyze the end result, but the desire for additional finances and attention may not lead towards the satisfying outcome Mayweather is seeking.

Posted on 11/05/2018

By: Oliver McManus

Floyd Mayweather is set to return to the ring on December 31st, in Tokyo, against an MMA superstar… no, it’s not Khabib Nurmagomedov but rather Tenshin Nasukawa – the 20 year old Japanese kickboxer.

The question on many fight fans lips is “just who is Tenshin Nasukawa?” and it’s a very valid point because few outside of Japan will have heard of the diminutive figure – standing 5ft5in – but let’s try and establish some facts about him.

photo Credit: Nobuyuki Sakakibara Twitter Account

A two weight champion within RISE, Nasukawa has held belts at flyweight and featherweight with that particular organisation and was the 2017 RIZIN kickboxing featherweight champion so he has pedigree.

Enrolled by his father into a karate class aged five, Nasukawa soon turned his attention to kickboxing – where he honed a natural aggression and power. Having dedicated himself to the sport, the youngster accrued 111 amateur contests with a mere five losses before turning professional.

That power I talked about is evidenced by his 22 knockouts as a professional with a particularly pleasing flying knee against Yamato Fujita – funnily enough on New Years Eve last year – but he’s well-rounded enough to be able to finish opponents via punches and submissions.

Of course we don’t know the rule set or the weight category being stipulated for December 31st but if, as many believe, it will be a cross-over of both MMA and boxing then you’d expect this to play into the favour of Nasukawa who, despite his age, is one of the most experienced and mature fighters around.

He is no stranger to mixing it with professional boxers, nor with coming out on top, owing to a contest he had in February last year with, former IBF champion, Amnat Ruenroeng. As part of KNOCK OUT Vol. 1, Nasukawa emerged victorious with a sumptuous left hook to the body in the fourth round.

Fighting is in his blood and his sister – Riri – is already making waves in the professional ranks despite being just 16 years of age. She made her debut in June, a winning start, and will next compete on November 11th, having racked up 33 fights as an amateur with a 90% win rate.

A surprise to many in the MMA / boxing community who, largely, were expecting either MayPac 2 or Mayweather-Nurmagomedov to take place, Tenshin admitted he was caught a little off guard by the offer – “It was a surprise offer but I accepted without hesitation, It’s the biggest moment in my life and I want to be the man who changes history. I’ll do that with these fists, with one punch – just watch.”

And watch we will, whether you think it’s a freak show or a miss-match you won’t be able to not watch. December 31st, Tokyo, you can feel the Tenshin Rizin.

Posted on 11/05/2018

By: Michael Kane

It seems Floyd Mayweather is out of retirement once more.

Mayweather (50-0) appeared in Japan last night with Japanese MMA promotion Rizin Fighting Federation. In the press conference it was announced Mayweather would face Tenshin Nasukawa, a 27-0 kickboxer and 4-0 MMA fighter.

Photo Credit: Nobuyuki Sakakibara Twitter Account

As yet it’s not known what format the fight will take place, all that was said was it would be under ‘special rules’.

Mayweather last competed last year against MMA superstar Conor McGregor, stopping McGregor in the 10th round under boxing rules. Lately Mayweather has suggested he would face UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov however Dana White, the UFC president said this would not happen under boxing rules.

The Mayweather v McGregor PPV was one of the biggest PPV events in history.

View this post on Instagram

December 31st 2018 #Tokyo

A post shared by Floyd Mayweather (@floydmayweather) on Nov 4, 2018 at 6:26pm PST

Rizin promoter Nobuyuki Sakakibara gave an explanation on the deal, “I think my shortest answer to that is the fact that now we are aligned to achieve something together and that is hitting a new challenge, taking a step forward to whatever wonderful thing that we can create together,” Sakakibara said via a Japanese translator.

Mayweather is looking forward to spending more time in Japan and also the prospect of promoting his fighters there.

“Rizin has done a remarkable job with the fighters,” Mayweather said. “I look forward to giving you guys entertainment come December 31, but my relationship with Rizin, it doesn’t stop just here. I look forward to taking this worldwide.”

Nasukawa, is looking forward to facing the undefeated boxer.

“I would probably say that this is my biggest event in life, so far,” Nasukawa said, via a Japanese translator. “And I’m very happy that this is going to materialize.”

“Nobody has defeated my opponent in the past,” he continued, referring to Mayweather’s 50-0 pro boxing record. “And I would like to be the man who makes history. My punch can change the history and I will show that to you, so please stay tuned.”

The event will take place on Rizin’s New Years Eve show a big date in Japanese combat shows, since the days of Pride and K-1.

The full press conference can be watched here:

Posted on 10/30/2018

By: Sean Crose

With talk of a Floyd Mayweather-Khabib Numragomedov fight making the rounds, UFC president Dana White has made it clear that he’s in no mood for a rehash of Mayweather’s 2017 novelty superfight with UFC star Conor McGregor. “Listen,” White told TMZ, “if Mayweather wants to fight, come fight. You fight in the UFC. We’re not boxing him. We did that once. That’s over.” Although McGregor looked decent enough for his much hyped fight with Mayweather, the longtime pound for pound great ended up making easy work of the MMA star.

Now that Khabib himself has bested McGregor – in McGregor’s home sport, no less, it’s obvious White isn’t going to withstand another of his top UFC fighters bucking the odds the way McGregor did when he temporarily switched sports over a year ago. “You want to fight,” White reiterated, “you come fight . A real fight.” White’s words echoed McGregor’s own sentiments about boxing in the leadup to the Mayweather match, when the Irishman referred to boxing as half a fight.

As TMZ states: “UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley has offered to personally train Floyd and said he truly believes the 41-year-old could have real success in the Octagon.” While that may be true, Mayweather has a reputation – fair or not – of stacking the odds in his favor before a major bout. What’s more, Mayweather, now in his fifth decade, has only boxed throughout his long, undefeated career. Perhaps even more telling, however, is the fact that – unlike McGregor – Khabib doesn’t employ a style similar to boxing in the MMA octagon. Within the cage, the Russian is regarded as a world class wrestler, possessing an impressive skill set which might not lend itself well to the boxing ring.

Although he suggested boxing doesn’t allow combatants to engage in “a real fight,” White himself is interested in getting into the boxing business. “Yeah, we’re getting into boxing 100%, for sure,” he told TMZ. “I’m not diving in head first; I’m dipping my toe in.” With that in mind, TMZ reports that “Floyd has said he’s 70% certain the two sides will get a deal done to box — he expects to make a 9-FIGURE CHECK if it comes to fruition.” Other fighters have been mentioned as potential Mayweather opponents, though – including McGregor (again) and Mayweather arch rival Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao, in particular, looks as if he might be particularly keen on a rematch of his record breaking 2015 fight with Mayweather.

Posted on 10/18/2018

By: Sean Crose

Give this to Floyd Mayweather – the man knows how to keep himself in the spotlight. After it looked like his pay per view numbers might be starting to decline a while back, he finally agreed to meet Manny Pacquiao in what many observers felt was the money grab to end all money grabs. How wrong those observers were. For just over two years later, Mayweather got in the ring with the MMAs biggest star, the one man knee jerk reaction to every anti-bullying campaign known to man, Conor McGregor. Mayweather essentially made easy work of his Irish foe…only to just recently declare he would rematch Pacquiao in the near future.

Since then, Mayweather’s focus has apparently switched to Khabib Nomagomedov, the UFC star who recently came close to choking McGregor into oblivion. “Oh, we fighting!” Mayweather recently said of the Russian terror. “He called me out, so he gotta come to my world.” Naturally. One simply can’t expect a world class wrestler to wrestle. There’s simply too much money to be made leaving the cage for the ring and getting punched out by an aging boxing great. Or is there? If Khabib was only kidding when he called out Mayweather (which he did last week) this might all be nonsense.

Then again, who knows? At any rate, Mayweather is back in the news today, via TMZ, claiming he’s ready to give McGregor a rematch after fighting Khabib (one has to wonder how many beatings McGregor has left in him at this point). “After me and Khabib lock up,” he’s quoted as saying, “me and McGregor we gonna lock up again.” Mayweather, grandiose as ever, is also quoted as saying: “I’m helping keep combat sports alive!”” Perhaps Mayweather hasn’t heard of the massive 300 million plus deal former foe Canelo Alvarez has made with DAZN streaming service, or of the huge pay per view numbers such fights as Canelo-Golovkin and McGregor-Nurmogomadov have recently done. One suspects, however, that Mayweather has been kept well abreast of such news, hence the splashy headlines he’s taken to dishing out as of late.

Canelo, boxing’s new king (though many feel he lost his recent bout to Gennady Golovkin, only to be saved by the judges), is patently unimpressed with Mayweather’s latest round of media proclamations. “He wants to continue hurting boxing,” says the Mexican star of Mayweather, “by making fights that don’t make sense … and not giving boxing the credibility it deserves.” A younger, less able version of Canelo lost by decision to Mayweather in a massive 2013 bout. Now the Mexican himself wants a second chance.

“If he wants to return,” Canelo says of Mayweather, “I ask him to look my way to give a great fight to the fans.”

Posted on 10/18/2018

By: Sean Crose

After demolishing the UFCs biggest star, Conor McGregor, in an MMA superfight, UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov recently called out Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather, who handily bested McGregor in a ring before Khabib did in an octagon, has responded. “Oh, we fighting!” the world’s favorite retired fighter told TMZ (provided Khabib is truly interested). “I can’t say what’s going on on Khabib’s end. But, on my end, we can make it happen.” As with McGregor, Khabib would have to face Mayweather in the ring, should they actually meet. “He called me out,” said Mayweather, “so, he gotta come to my world.”

Mayweather recently said he was going to have a second fight with Manny Pacquiao. Perhaps the rematch is now on the back burner, however. Khabib would surely be an easier fight for Floyd than Pacquiao would be – at least on paper. McGregor, who decided to have his first boxing match against the greatest fighter of a generation, at least had a reputation as a solid striker. That isn’t the case with Khabib, a deadly wrestler who wrapped himself like a snake around McGregor until the Irishman tapped out earlier this month. Mayweather, however, claims he can still make nine figures off a fight with Khabib.

One person who is particularly critical of Mayweather’s recent choice of (potential) opponents is none other than former foe Canelo Alvarez. Since losing a nearly one sided decision to Mayweather in 2013, Canelo has risen to the top of the fight game. This fact was made loud and clear on Wednesday, when it was announced that the middleweight champ had signed the most lucrative contract in all of sports with DAZN streaming service. “He wants to continue hurting boxing,” TMZ shows the Mexican star saying of Mayweather, “by making fights that don’t make sense … and not giving boxing the credibility it deserves.”

Perhaps not surprisingly, Canelo wants a second shot at Mayweather. “If he wants to return,” Canelo says, “I ask him to look my way to give a great fight to the fans.” There’s no doubt a second battle with Mayweather would be extraordinarily lucrative for all parties involved. Yet the 2018 version of Canelo unquestionably poses a greater threat to the aging Mayweather than Khabib, McGregor, or perhaps even Pacquiao does. “Let’s do the second fight,” Canelo claims. “It’s very important. We have something pending there, so let’s make the second fight.”

Posted on 10/11/2018

By Jake Donovan

Less than a month after teasing the possibility of a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao has made the first significant move toward clearing any hurdles.

Heavy rumors have swirled about the former eight-division titlist joining forces with Mayweather’s longtime adviser, Al Haymon and his Premier Boxing Champions outfit. Manila Bulletin’s Nick Giongco was the first to break the story on Wednesday, which has since gained considerable momentum despite a single source willing to go on record to verify.

It been suggested that Pacquiao’s first fight under the PBC umbrella can come as early as next January.

Several PBC representatives have declined comment to BoxingInsider.com on the subject, although also didn’t dismiss such rumors.

The development would be the latest in a series of significant boxing power moves within the past few months. As far as stateside boxing content goes, there are three major entities currently controlling the landscape: Haymon’s PBC series, which recently renewed lucrative, long-term pacts with Showtime and Fox/FS1; Eddie Hearn through subscription-based DAZN USA streaming service; and Pacquiao’s former long-time promoter Bob Arum, whose Top Rank outfit is the primary content provider for ESPN and its ESPN+ streaming app.

Pacquiao’s contract with Top Rank expired earlier this year. His last fight officially promoted by Top Rank came last July, when he suffered a shocking and highly controversial split decision defeat to Jeff Horn in Australia. The bout ended his third reign as a welterweight titlist, also snapping a two-fight win streak following his loss to Mayweather.

The final piece of business between the two came in his July knockout win over Lucas Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Top Rank didn’t directly promote the event, but offered live coverage on ESPN+ after Pacquiao’s MP Promotions missed numerous deadlines to distribute through Pay-Per-View.

There remained little doubt as to their going separate ways when Pacquiao (or more likely a team member speaking on his behalf) took to social media to demand money owed by Top Rank for U.S. TV rights to the aforementioned event. The issue was quickly resolved, followed by confirmation that Pacquiao would take his career in a different direction.

Later that very week, the legendary southpaw from Philippines joined in with Mayweather in trolling the boxing community in suggesting a rematch to their May ’15 blockbuster event was in the works.

The declaration came on the morning of the September 15 rematch between Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin, leading many to believe it was simply yet another stunt by Mayweather designed to steal attention from a Golden Boy Promotions event. Mayweather came out of retirement last summer to face UFC superstar and boxing debutant Conor McGregor, staging the event three weeks prior to Alvarez-Golovkin I and drawing more than three times as many PPV buys.

Once Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39KOs) joined in on the fun—posting “No Excuses #50-1”—skepticism quickly switched to curiosity as to whether it was actually going to happen.

Their first fight destroyed all box office numbers within the sport, setting benchmarks that will likely never be surpassed in this lifetime. Even if the rematch doesn’t happen, Pacquiao agreeing to do business with Haymon and PBC opens up a number of future possibilities. Most of the best welterweights in the world—including Errol Spence, Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia—all fight under the PBC umbrella.

It also opens the door for Pacquiao to secure U.S. TV dates for his MP Promotions stable, which sources in the Philippines claim as an additional motivating factor.

Though far from substantiated, a potential first fight for Pacquiao could come versus former four-division titlist Adrien Broner. Where such a fight would land depends on the willingness of PBC’s chief two outlets – Showtime and Fox – ponying up the necessary funds to avoid having to go PPV in back-to-back months, with Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury locked in for December 1 on Showtime PPV live from Los Angeles, California.

A far less expensive route could see him instead take a fight with a PBC second-tier welterweight such as Andre Berto, Devon Alexander, Josesito Lopez or John Molina Jr.

Whatever is Pacquiao’s next move, it will come with an entirely new team in place.

The future Hall of Famer—who turns 40 in December—parted ways with trainer Freddie Roach earlier this year, thus ending a 17-year run with the Hollywood-based cornerman. Under Roach’s tutelage, Pacquiao managed to win titles in seven weight classes together (winningthe lineal flyweight champion prior to hooking up with Roach) and enjoyed a mercurial rise to superstardom.

His fight with Matthysse came with longtime assistant Buboy Fernandez as his head trainer, who will presumably serve in that role for as long as Pacquiao continues with his career. Along with Roach and Arum no longer along for the ride, BoxingScene.com has reported that Pacquiao has also cut ties with longtime manager Michael Koncz.

Posted on 10/11/2018

By: Sean Crose

Conor McGregor lost his second fight in a row last weekend, if you count his boxing match last year against Floyd Mayweather. This time, however, McGregor was back on his home turf, out of the ring and inside the cage where UFCs best prove their mettle. It was a one sided affair, with Russian lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov dominating his foe throughout most of the match before forcing the Irish star to tap out in the fourth round. No doubt it was a brilliant performance from Khabib. Unfortunately, the wrestler afterwards jumped out of the cage and attacked a member of McGregor’s team. Needless to say chaos ensued.

It’s easy for boxing fans to shake their collective heads at the supposed barbarity of the UFC, but boxing has earned quite a reputation of its own when it comes to combat sport’s insanity. As bad as last weekend was, at least no one lost an ear. One boxer is particularly qualified to talk about combat sport chaos. For Mayweather’s bout with Zab Judah famously turned chaotic when it went down back in 2006. “I’m not too familiar with the guy McGregor was fighting,” Mayweather is quoted as saying in regards to last weekend’s madness, “but I know the guy he was facing was undefeated.” Mayweather went on to condemn Saturday’s post fight action. “McGregor is a tough competitor,” he claimed, “but McGregor’s opponent jumped out of the ring and was fighting people in the crowd so, very unprofessional.”

Mayweather was notably cool when insanity erupted around him in the ring over a decade ago. He also knows, from facing McGregor, what it’s like to deal with the man’s taunts (it was the taunts that apparently took Khabib over the edge). Unlike Khabib, however, Mayweather remained sportsmanlike after defeating the controversial mma celebrity. “It’s going to be a huge fine,” Mayweather said of the penalties awaiting those involved in the McGregor-Khabib fracas. “I’m pretty sure because with my fight against Zab Judah, there was a crazy melee in the ring and a huge penalty – a huge fine. If I’m not mistaken, seven figures.”

Like McGregor, Mayweather knows how to get under the skin of an opponent. One thing the man has long been noted for, however, is discipline and self control when being under the bright lights. “I know when a guy’s jumping out of the cage into the audience and fighting different people,” Mayweather stated, “the fine is going to be crazy.”