[ad_1]
Tokyo (AFP) – Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr announced Monday that she would be coming out of retirement to fight a half-age Japanese kickboxer, Tenshin Nasukawa, on New Year's Eve in Saitama.
The undefeated 41-year-old American, who won the world title in five different weight divisions and was considered the best pound-to-pound sports boxer, the Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor at his last fight in August 2017.
This win improved his boxing record to a perfect score of 50-0, but the format or rules of his encounter with Nasukawa, the baby face, were not specified by the Japanese promoter. mixed martial arts RIZIN.
Mayweather posted a teaser photo on his Instagram feed on the weekend, showing him wearing kickboxing gloves.
"I want to give people what they want – blood, sweat and tears," Mayweather said at a press conference in Tokyo after arriving in Japan aboard. a private jet.
"This has always been one of my goals to get out of the United States and show my talent.The world has never seen Mayweather compete live (in Japan)," he said. he added, promoting cross-code combat as an expansion of his Far East business.
"I wish to continue to build relationships with Money Team Tokyo, we have organized huge fights in the United States, but we look forward to bringing the Mayweather Promotions banner and the TMT banner to the world."
Nasukawa, described in the press release as "perhaps the best hope of combat sports (from Japan) to date", has a record of 27-0 but has never competed as a professional boxer.
– & # 39; Gym Rat & # 39; –
The 20-year-old, with a whitish, blond complexion, called an "easy decision" to accept the offer to face Mayweather in Saitama, north of Tokyo.
"It was a surprise offer, but I accepted without hesitation," Nasukawa said.
"I do not care what the rules are, I want to be the man who changes the story, I'm going to do it with these fists, with a punch – just look."
Mayweather insisted that Nasukawa would not be invincible.
"He's young and he's undefeated, so it's obvious he's doing something right," he said.
"This kid is an amazing talent, he looks like a gym rat," added Mayweather.
"He is very special, he is fast, he is strong, I am older now, and as far as the experience is concerned, I have him on my side, he has youth on his side and it will spark a lot of enthusiasm. "
Mayweather, who had arrested McGregor in the 10th round last year after coming out of retirement for a $ 275 million payout, had flirted with the idea of a rematch with the following day. Irish or against the recent conqueror of MMA McGregor, the dreaded Khabib Nurmagomedov.
"I have been fortunate to be a long time in the sport and earn more than a billion dollars," added Mayweather.
"But this fight is a peculiarity of giving people something they have never seen before.
"I do not really care about the weight class or the rules – it's about showing off my skills against another skilled fighter.I just want to entertain."
Source link
