In what was just supposed to be a light sparring exhibition bout, recently retired undefeated boxing star Floyd “Money” Mayweather knocked out the 20-year-old Japanese kickboxing Tenshin Nasukawa in the first round of a scheduled three round Rizin 14 New Year’s Eve special attraction at the Saitama Arena in Saitama, Japan on December 31, 2018.
Mayweather agreed to fight Nasukawa for an undisclosed large sum of money in an exhibition just to show and demonstrate boxing techniques.
At 41, Mayweather came to the ring smiling, his bout was the last bout of a stacked mixed martial arts card that went on for well over five hours.
Days before the bout the young undefeated Nasukawa said he will try to knockout Mayweather, instead he was the one to be knocked out.
The first round was all it took for Mayweather to finish the much smaller bantamweight, he dropped him three times before the referee Kenny Bayless waved the fight off. After the fight was stopped Mayweather celebrated by doing a little dance to signify that it was easy work.
The fight will not go on either fighters professional records, but many people who saw the bout believe it was a work, and think Tenshin took a dive since it was supposed to be an exhibition.
At the end of the bout the Rizin kickboxing star was in tears as Mayweather held his hand up and told him to keep his head up.
Even though the fight was over quickly, Floyd was very sharp with his punches. If he decides to return to professional boxing, he can fight the winner of Adrien Broner vs. Manny Pacquiao or take on undefeated UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov in another crossover event like he did with Conor McGregor.
