Inside the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, Mayweather faces off against Mikuru Asakura. The fight will be a part of a Super RIZIN event, coupled with RIZIN 38. Mayweather, now 45, may have retired from active competition, but he is always ready to take up an opportunity and put on a show fans will never forget. 

“It’s still a great feeling to travel the world and basically do these exhibition bouts and have fun,” Mayweather said at the launch press conference, via talKSPORT. “My legacy is already engraved in stone, but it’s still great to just go around the world and entertain people from all walks of life. I’m pretty sure he’s going to come out and give his best, like any and every guy, but I’ve seen every style. My job is just to go out there, be me, have fun and do what I do best.”

At the press conference, Mayweather praised his opponent as “one of the best” in Japan. In classic Mayweather fashion, he then stated he (Mayweather) is “one of the best in the world.”

MORE: Floyd Mayweather vs. Mikuru Asakura date, start time, odds, schedule, price & card

This bout will be Mayweather’s fourth exhibition fight and the second one this year. In May, he beat Don Moore, a former sparring partner. This time, he faces someone with experience inside the cage.

The Sporting News digs deep and looks into the history of Floyd Mayweather’s latest exhibition dance partner in Asakura. 

Who is Mikuru Asakura

Asakura, 30, started his MMA career competing in the amateurs under the Fighting Network Rings banner. Working with The Outsider brand of the promotion, Asakura turned pro in 2012 following a 6-1 amateur record. 

Competing for The Outsider, DEEP Cage Impact, and Road FC, Asakura won the RINGS 70kg and 65kg Championships in 2015, defending both titles once. He made his RIZIN debut in 2018 and is 10-2 with the promotion. After winning seven in a row, Asakura faced Yutaka Saito for the RIZIN featherweight title in 2020. He lost via unanimous decision. 

Since then, Asakura has gone 3-1 and is currently on a two-fight win streak. Asakura’s last fight was a unanimous decision win in a rematch against Saito. 

Asakura fought in one exhibition MMA fight in 2019. This will be his first boxing bout. That is something he is very excited to take part in. 

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“I’m an MMA fighter but, I’m going to use this opportunity, and I’m going to use him to raise my name and value internationally,” Asakura stated at the press conference. “I will win this fight.”

When is Floyd Mayweather vs. Mikuru Asakura?

Date: Saturday, Sept. 24 | Sunday Sept. 25 (Australia) Start time: 11 p. m. ET | 3 a. m. GMT | 1 p. m. AEST

 

The Mayweather vs. Asakura exhibition fight will take place Sept. 24. The expected start time of the Super RIZIN event is around 11 p.m. ET | 3 a.m. GMT | 1 p.m. AEST. 

How to watch Floyd Mayweather vs. Mikuru Asakura?

RIZIN Stream Pass, FITE. tv, PPV. com

The only way to watch Mayweather vs. Asakura is via the RIZIN Stream Pass, PPV.com, and FITE.tv.

Floyd Mayweather vs. Mikuru Asakura price: How much does the card cost? 

$29. 99 

The Mayweather vs. Asakura fight will cost $29.99. 

Floyd Mayweather vs. Mikuru Asakura fight card

Super RIZIN 

Floyd Mayweather vs. Mikuru Asakura Kouzi vs. Ray “Jizzy Mack” Sadeghi Nadaka Yoshinari vs. Bandasak So Trakunpet  Kota Miura vs. Bunchuai Phonsungnoen 

RIZIN 38

Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Yuto Hokamura Seika Izawa vs. Anastasiya Svetkivska Si Woo Park vs. Ayaka Hamasaki Hiromasa Ogikubo vs. Soo Chul Kim Kyohei Hagiwara vs. Chihiro Suzuki Juri Ohara vs. Luiz Gustavo Shoma Shibisai vs. Cally Gibrainn de Oliveira