Floyd Mayweather Jr. (left) vs. mikuru asakura
Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. returned to the ring to stop mixed martial artist Mikuru Asakura in the second round of what was scheduled to be a three-round exhibition at Saitama Super Arena, in Saitama, Japan, on Saturday night. (Sunday in Japan) .
Mayweather, now 45, was competing for the second time this year after facing Don Moore in Abu Dhabi in May.
Before the contest, retired superstar Manny Pacquiao entered the arena to hear “The Eye of the Tiger” and received a warm reception from the audience. He began by welcoming everyone and thanking the promoter for being invited. He said, “[Asakura] he came to the Philippines and asked me for advice on the technique; I shared with him. He can punch and box. I’m excited to see it tonight. I am Asian; I support Asians. That’s why I’m here to support this exhibition match.”
At formal introductions when the traditional flower parade was to be presented to Mayweather, the person doing it amazingly dropped them at Mayweather’s feet.
Mayweather kept things at arm’s length in the first round, using his jab to keep the distance, though he had to take a heavy body shot from Asakura in the first minute. Every time the popular Asakura threw or landed punches, his compatriots in attendance greeted him with loud cheers. Mayweather also hit to the body twice.
A more aggressive Mayweather landed a nice right hand that Asakura took well early in Round 2. Asakura landed a right hand that knocked Mayweather’s head back. The American smiled and kept backing away, choosing moments from him. Late in the round, Mayweather connected with a hard right hand that stiffened the Japanese fighter’s legs. Mayweather landed a big overhand right hand that dropped Asakura heavily at the bell. Asakura tried to get to her feet, but referee Kenny Bayless wisely stopped the process.
Mayweather spoke to the crowd afterward and thanked everyone in attendance, as well as eight-division world champion Pacquiao.
“I’m happy that I was able to give the fans some excitement,” Mayweather said. “Thanks for having me. I’ll be right back.”
Mayweather is expected to return to the exhibition ring against Deji Olatunji in Dubai on November 13. However, with Mayweather and Pacquiao around, you have to wonder if they will resume hostilities for an exhibition in the near future.
Super Rizin undercard results:
Seasoned Kombat Sports star Kouzi Tanaka made Floyd Mayweather’s bodyguard Ray Vinci Sadeghi (also known as Jizzy Mack) pay for what he felt was a disrespectful buildup. Tanaka stumbled, then dropped the tired Sadeghi with a left hand in the opening seconds of the third round of their exhibition.
The end came soon after when Tanaka jumped on Sadeghi and pummeled him with punches before ending things by sending Sadeghi down with a left hook. The fight stopped immediately.
Tanaka then called for a fight with Mayweather in his next fight.
Nadaka Yoshinari stopped Bandasak So Trakunpet in the first round of their kickboxing contest. The 21-year-old Japanese fighter dropped Trakunpet with just under a minute to go in the first round and, although the elderly Thai warrior managed to recover, he was stopped on his feet moments later. Yoshinari improves to (41-5-1, 27 KOs), Trakunpet, who had over a hundred muay thai tests, was making his kickboxing debut.
Kota Miura, the son of Japanese soccer legend Kazuyoshi “King Kazu” Miura, forced Bunchuay Pongsungnoen to submit with an armbar at 1:07 into the first round of their MMA competition. Miura moved to (2-0, 0 KOs), while Thailand’s Pongsungnoen drops to (0-1).
The event was broadcast on FITE.
Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected] and you can follow him on Twitter @AnsonWainwright
