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TOKYO (Reuters) – Floyd Mayweather's oversized arrival at his inauguration as a new figurehead of Japan's mixed martial arts promotion has proven that, no matter what the event or place, the legend of boxing American will always be at the box office.
The undefeated 41-year-old has announced that he will be out of retirement on Monday and that he will do better than the next Rizin Fighting Federation card on Dec. 31 in a fight against a Japanese kickboxer whose rules were still to be determined.
Prior to Monday's press conference, Mayweather had given a number of media interviews over the weekend, but the identity of Rizin's rookie for the Saitama event had been kept secret.
Thus, with the ostentatious logo of the brand "The Money Team" Mayweather emblazoned with an ostentatious symbol in the room, the plot became palpable before the late arrival of the American.
When Mayweather finally appeared in front of the media in Tokyo, the American, whose boxing record is an unblemished 50-0, was much more moderate than his noisy introduction, substituting for his usual bravado a serious commercial tone.
"We want to continue and I want to continue to build my relationship with Money Team Tokyo, I want to keep coming here and bring other fighters here," Mayweather told a somewhat scalded press conference .
"My company has fought huge battles in the United States, but we look forward to bringing the Mayweather Promotions banner and TMT (The Money Team) banner to the world. If it means working with such a great guy (Rizin's president, Nobuyuki Sakakibara) then there is no problem. "
It seems that for Mayweather, who has won world boxing titles in five different weight divisions, this battle is about expanding his brand and his business interests abroad.
"I wanted to do something different – I've always wanted to show my skills outside of the United States and participate in a particular fight," added Mayweather, who has played each of his professional fights in the United States.
Mayweather's latest decision was a major shock following the announcement of his second retirement from the ring after his loss to Irish mixed martial arts (MMA) star Conor McGregor in a boxing match last year.
However, the most striking aspect of Mayweather's announcement is his decision to sign with an MMA brand, which never competed in the octagon.
OPPOSING CONFIDENT
While the rules of boxing limit fights to the use of punches only, the MMA also includes kicks, knees and elbows, as well as wrestling, joint locks and chokes.
Mayweather and his team said they were still in negotiations with Rizin on the rules and format of the fight, which should be "located" in the coming weeks.
The identity of Mayweather's opponent, Japanese boxer Tenshin Nasukawa – a fighter of half the American's age – further complicates things.
Nasukawa competes in both MMA and kickboxing and has won all four of her caged fights.
While Mayweather praised his opponent and even denigrated himself by saying "my body no longer looks the same as before," a bullish Nasukawa expressed his confidence in him.
"I would like to prove with my fist what others could not do in the past," said the 20-year-old, who accepted the proposal to fight Mayweather without hesitation.
"My opponent looks bigger than I thought, I think because of the aura that surrounds him, but I think I could touch him."
Nasukawa's comments led Mayweather and his business advisor Brent Johnson to give him a radiant smile, but it was felt that the former world champion would not have risen to the challenge with such lightness.
Fans of fights – whether boxers or amateurs – try to deal with the last round of Mayweather's career, it will be the final decision on the rules of his next fight before a real judgment can be made.
If this move is an attempt to stay relevant, then Mayweather, whose business acumen has been matched only by his performance in the ring, has certainly found a way to keep his name in the limelight.
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