Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr., who had announced his return to the ring in a fight against Japanese kickboxing fighter Tenshin Nasukawa, communicated that the fight will not finally take place due to a misunderstanding with the organization.
“I want to clarify that I, Floyd Mayweather, never accepted an official fight with Tenshin Nasukawa. In fact (with all due respect) I had never heard of him before my trip to Japan, ”the 41-year-old retired fighter posted on his Instagram account.
The former world champion explained that in principle it was only going to be a small exhibition, and not an official fight, in front of a limited group of “rich” people.
“This exhibition was prepared as a special event for entertainment purposes only and not intended to be considered an official fight or televised around the world. Once I got to the press conference, my team and I felt disoriented by the new direction this event had taken and we should have stopped it immediately, “he added.
“I want to sincerely apologize to my fans for the misleading information that was announced during this press conference and I can assure you that I, too, was completely blinded by the arrangements that were made without my consent or approval,” he said.
The American, with five world titles in five weight classes and considered one of the best in history, defeated Irish Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Conor McGregor in his last fight in August 2017.
That victory adorned his record, allowing him to boast 50 wins and no losses.
“I am a retired boxer who makes an amount of money unprecedented in the world, by appearances, talks and occasional small exhibitions,” he sentenced.
– A change that will not occur … for now –
For months there had been speculation about Mayweather’s move to MMA after leaving boxing and, although the format and rules of the failed fight with Nasukawa had not been revealed, experts believed that the American legend had chosen the Japanese promise to make its premiere in that mode.
“I want to give people what they want: blood, sweat and tears,” the American had launched before the media in the Japanese capital.
Nasukawa, according to the press release announcing the event, is “probably the greatest fighting sports hope Japan has ever seen,” with a 27-0 record but never fought as a professional.
Accepting the Mayweather fight was an “easy decision,” the 20-year-old had claimed. «I don’t care about the rules of the game. I am the man who will change the course of history. I will do it with these fists, in one fell swoop, you’ll see. ” AFP