Floyd Mayweather Demolishes a ‘Boy’ Half his Age

In Tokyo, Japan, in an event that began in the wee hours of the morning in the United States, Floyd Mayweather, in what was ostensibly an exhibition, demolished Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa, scoring three knockdowns before Nasukawa’s corner tossed in the towel with 41 seconds remaining in the opening round. Nevada’s top referee, Kenny Bayless, was the third man in the ring.

Mayweather turns 42 in February. Nasukawa, who is 20 years old and looks younger, was humiliated and left the ring in tears.

The match was slated for three three-minute rounds under straight boxing rules. Mayweather, who arrived at the arena two hours late, claimed that he was to receive a $9 million dollar appearance fee.

After the fight, Mayweather addressed the crowd. “This don’t go on our record,” he said. “We are both still undefeated. He is a great champion and a great fighter. I am still retired. I don’t look to come back to boxing. I came back for entertainment for the people of Japan.”

Several MMA web sites made a big deal of the spectacle, covering the ring walks of the fighters as if they were supermodels walking the red carpet at an international fashion show. Octogenarian promoter Bob Arum had the last laugh. Speaking to TMZ, Arum had dismissed the “exhibition” as a joke, saying “the people who are watching that nonsense are pretty well jerks.”

At a press conference in Las Vegas to hype the event, Mayweather said that plans were in the works for more exhibitions of this nature in other parts of the world. There is rampant speculation, however, that he will fight Manny Pacquiao again if Pacquiao overcomes Adrien Broner when they meet on Jan. 19 in Las Vegas. Pacquiao will be defending his WBA 147-pound belt.

The first Mayweather-Pacquiao fight was a snoozer that was widely assailed as a rip-off. Nonetheless, the rematch, if it comes to fruition, would be huge. Mayweather enhanced his well-cultivated persona as a villain today in Japan, bullying a boyish-looking opponent who was much smaller than him and looked frail by comparison.

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