Kickboxing legend Tenshin Nasukawa recovered from his Floyd Mayweather beatdown to put on an impressive display in his official boxing debut.
Nasukawa is famed for his first-round knockout at the hands of Mayweather in 20128. On New Year’s Eve that year, Nasukawa hit the canvas three times on his way to an exhibition humbling on home soil.
Picking himself back up, Kasukawa went back to kickboxing and extended his superb undefeated run to 44 with 30 KOs with a stunning array of stoppages and decisions.
In 2023, Tenshin decided the time was right to give boxing another chance. Joining forces with promoter Akihiko Honda of Teiken Promotions, Top Rank also offered to showcase Tenshin stateside.
Floyd Mayweather opponent Tenshin wins boxing debut
On Saturday, Tenshin defeated the far more experienced Yuki Yonaha via a six-round unanimous decision in Japan. The 24-year-old showed flashes of brilliance in carding 60-53 [twice] and 59-55 on the cards.
Making his opening bow at super bantamweight, Tenshin will aim to make a fast impression after being all-dominant in his first code of choice.
The Mayweather loss is firmly behind him as he begins another career chapter.
THERE HE GOES. @TeppenTenshin x #TerajiOlascuaga pic.twitter.com/ROQU5WEU2E
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) April 8, 2023
Inoue vs Solis and Teraji vs Olascuaga
Also featuring on the bill at the Ariake Arena in Koto-Ku, Tokyo, the Japan Boxing Commission recorded the rest of the undercard results.
Welterweight Jin Sasaki scored a technical knockout in the twelfth round to beat Keita Obara and improve to 15-1-1. Sasaki holds the WBO Asia Pacific welterweight strap.
Former world champion Kiko Martinez lost for the twelfth time in his career as the Spaniard dropped a decision to Reiya Abe at featherweight.
Abe improves to 25-3-1.
The brother of Pound for Pound star Naoya Inoue, Takuma Inoue, claimed the vacant WBA bantamweight title. Taking his record to 18-1, Inoue won a unanimous decision against another ex-world ruler, Liborio Solis.
Judges scored 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112 in favor of Inoue.
Ironically, the black and gold belt was vacant due to Takuma’s brother Naoya deciding to move up in class and drop all his 118-pound belts to fight in a new division.
The WBA championships committee called the two best-positioned contenders available to fight, one being his sibling.
Solis is a 41-year-old veteran who reigned in the super flyweight division. He may now be contemplating retirement.
In the opener, Issei Tanaka drew with Taiga Tamegai, also at bantamweight.
The main event saw Kenshiro Teraji defend his WBA and WBA light-flyweight straps against Anthony Olascuaga. Kenshiro won via ninth-round stoppage.
