A talented kickboxer Floyd Mayweather maimed in one single round, is ready to prove he can box once and for all.
Mayweather leathered Tenshin Nasukawa in one round during an exhibition appearance at RIZIN 14 in Tokyo four and a half years ago.
Only 20 at the time, Nasukawa is now 24-0. He remains undefeated as a kickboxer and holds an impressive 44-0 record with 30 knockouts.
Tenshin is also a two-weight world kickboxing champion. That was enough for promoter Bob Arum to help him cross over to pugilism.
Floyd Mayweather links
Links to Mayweather helped, too, with Tenshin set to fight Yuki Yonaha at super bantamweight over six rounds.
The fight happens on the world title undercard, topped by Kenshiro Teraji vs Anthony Olascuaga. The event takes place at the Ariake Arena in Koto-Ku, Tokyo.
Akihiko Honda of Teiken Promotions presents it in association with Top Rank. With Arum’s help, the whole card is to be broadcast on ESPN+.
Since being annihilated by Mayweather and dropped three times, Tenshin has gone on a winning spree. He’s reeled off fourteen straight victories and gotten linked to facing Conor McGregor.
One was a superb spinning kick that lit up social media and went viral immediately.
Now he can show the Mayweather loss won’t dent his confidence moving forward.
A debut the 🌍 waited for! @TeppenTenshin enters his first fight week. #TerajiOlascuaga | SAT at 3AM ET | @ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/tUSQj0bi6W
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) April 6, 2023
Tenshin Nasukawa’s boxing debut
Tenshin is still young and was open to offers from Dana White to join the UFC before Arum moved in to push Tenshin with Honda.
Since apologizing for his performance against Mayweather, Japan’s finest has strengthened his status in combat sports.
It’s a far cry from his humbling statement released after Mayweather took him apart.
“I have worked hard with a big dream in the combat world. Karate, Kickboxing, MMA, and Boxing,” said Tenshin.
“At the end of the day, I got finished, but I have no regrets. I am disappointed in myself since I thought I could have done better.
“But I will face the facts and continue to take on any challenge.”
And what did he ultimately learn and use to put together a superb run of victories?
“I learned that I didn’t work hard enough to earn this opportunity. I will use this defeat to improve myself and move forward.
“Despite all the things that happened leading up to the fight, I realized how great Mayweather was. I was the one underestimating him.
“I promise to make it to that level! It may take some time for me to become the man to haul the industry on my shoulders, but please continue to support me!
“Everybody who worked to make this fight happen, thank you very much. Mr. Mayweather, thank you very much,” he added.
Tenshin will have extra eyes on him when he gets in the squared circle this weekend.
