During Sunday’s broadcast at the Saitama Super Arena, RIZIN CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara brought boxing legend Pacquiao into the ring. The Filipino star then apologized to fans for a previously planned appearance falling through — but said that he’d compete for RIZIN during 2024.

Sakakibara then likely shocked many by asking Pacquiao “could you please fight Floyd Mayweather?”

Come again?

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao turned out to be the highest-selling match in boxing history, selling north of four million Pay-Per-Views. Both fighters have since retired, though both have found that there’s money to be made competing in exhibition bouts around the globe. Japan has been a particularly lucrative market on that front, with Mayweather competing twice for RIZIN in the past: first against Tenshin Nazukawa, and later against Mikuru Asakura.

Mayweather won both contests. Had he lost, it wouldn’t have mattered: exhibition bouts do not count on a fighter’s professional record.

Manny Pacquiao (62-8-2) retired following a 2021 loss to Yordenis Ugás, but has since appeared in (and won) a pair of exhibition bouts. He has another scheduled for early 2024, as he’s expected to face Muay Thai star Buakaw Banchamek.

Mayweather retired at 50-0 after defeating MMA superstar Conor McGregor in “Money’s” final bout. Since then, he has competed in seven exhibition contests, with the most recent, against John Gotti III, resulting in a No Contest due to unsportsmanlike conduct (excessive trash talk).

No details were provided on the RIZIN 45 broadcast on when a Mayweather vs. Pacquiao match-up might transpire. It would presumably be an exhibition contest, and whether the public has an appetite for a second appearance by the aging boxing stars remains to be seen. Despite its financial success, “MayPac” turned out to be a mostly lackluster affair in the ring.

The post Manny Pacquiao Appears at RIZIN 45, Bout with Floyd Mayweather Teased appeared first on Cageside Press.

Mayweather had retired as a professional at 50-0 after defeating mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor in 2017, essentially scoring a layup to ensure he would hit the big “50” with no hiccups. Since then, Mayweather had competed in a number of exhibition bouts, including contests against an out-sized Tenshin Nasukawa, and fellow RIZIN star Mikuru Asakura.

On Saturday, “Money” Mayweather was making bank once again, in yet another exhibition match-up with a mixed martial artist. This time, it was reality TV star Aaron Chalmers, who had done stints with BAMMA and Bellator MMA from 2017 to 2020, posting a respectable 5-2 record in that span. Fine for what amounted to a late-in-life convert to MMA, but not exactly someone who was about to push Floyd Mayweather too hard, even at age 46.

Mayweather vs. Chalmers takes place Saturday, February 25, 2023 at the O2 Arena in London, England. The card airs live on Zeus Network. Mayweather is expected to make the walk around 10-10:30PM GMT, or about 5-5:30PM ET. The PPV card was originally scheduled to kick off at 2PM ET, but technical delays saw it postponed, and the prelim bout between Sammy-Jo Luxton and Hayley Barraclough was added to the PPV broadcast as a result.

Mayweather vs. Chalmers Results

Floyd Mayweather vs. Aaron Chalmers ends in a No Decision — Exhibition bout, not scored
Natalie Nunn def. Tommie Lee by TKO, Round 2
Ulysses Diaz vs. Khalas Karim ends in a No Decision — Exhibition bout, not scored
J’Hon Ingram vs. Declan Kenna ends in a No Decision — Exhibition bout, not scored
Antonio Zepeda def. Christopher Lovejoy by TKO, Round 3
Kevin Johnson vs. Mike Hales ends in a No Decision — Exhibition bout, not scored
Sammy-Jo Luxton vs. Hayley Barraclough ends in a No Decision — Exhibition bout, not scored

The post Floyd Mayweather vs. Aaron Chalmers Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

While Mayweather made easy work of social media celebrity Deji in the Global Titans card’s main event — another exhibition contest for “Money,” who competed under the RIZIN banner just a few months ago — Fish, 46, took on Boateng Agyemang Prempeh. A native of Ghana, Prempeh was 2-2 to start the night, and 16 years younger than the wrestler.

Despite Prempeh having the age and experience advantage, the fight came to an end in the second round, with Prempeh dropping to his knees following a trio of punches from Fish, who had engaged a Muay Thai clinch moments earlier.

While one blow appeared to just miss the back of the head, the initial left upstairs and a right to the body had Prempeh hurt. A shoulder injury was also singled out, but regardless, Prempeh did not answer the count.

WHAT HAPPENED THERE? 👀@theBobbyFish stops Boateng Prempeh in the second round! 🔥

🥊 #MayweatherDeji
🏟 Coca-Cola Arena
🇦🇪 Dubai, UAE
⏰ 10:00 PM LOCAL TIME
🎟 Tickets On Sale NOW!
📺 LIVE ON PPV pic.twitter.com/ucVKqkaYYa

— Global Titans Fight Series (@GlobalTitansFS) November 13, 2022

It could be MMA next for Fish, who previously told MCW Backstage Pass that he’d inked a two-fight deal with Global Titans, with the option for something other than boxing.

“The next one, I would really like for it to be kickboxing or MMA because that’s what I’ve done. I’ve been doing martial arts since I was a kid and that’s what I love.”

Fish infamously challenged former UFC fighter/fellow AEW talent (for now) CM Punk to a mixed martial arts bout, after the two butted heads in the pro wrestling world.

On his Undisputed podcast, Fish put out an invitation to Punk to face him in the cage, and outlined just how he felt about Punk (real name Phil Brooks) as a pro fighter.

“Phil is not a bad pro wrestler, but what Phil is not, is a martial artist. I’ve been doing martial arts since I was eight years old, so I take a lot of pride in it. It’s something that I’ll do until the day I die,” Fish explained (h/t Fightful). “There are other people within pro wrestling, Bryan Danielson, Kyle O’Reilly, people that train, and they put that into their pro wrestling. You do that because pro wrestling is made up in a way that we get to bring a little piece of ourselves and add to it what we do because so many variables are controlled. You can paint with whatever color you want. Choose a color that you have in your toolbox.”

“If you don’t have blue, you’re not painting with blue. CM Punk is not a martial artist. He went on pay-per-view and showed the world that he’s not a martial artist,” Fish continued. “He is a pro wrestler. Go out, tackle, drop down, leapfrog, give it again. All good. In that lane, he has talent. When it comes to martial arts, you’re insulting the audience’s intelligence because we’re supposed to be creating an atmosphere where you suspend your disbelief. It’s insulting for you, as one of my co-workers or peers, as a martial artist, you’re asking me to go out and sell and put over your bunk-ass martial arts. It’s insulting to the audience, it’s an insult to me.”

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For those that remember Mayweather vs. Tenshin, it was hard not to dread the affair. On the other hand, the RIZIN 38 portion of the double feature (SUPER RIZIN being the Mayweather half) had Kyoji Horiguchi in action, and the continuation of the women’s super atomweight grand prix.

In the case of Horiguchi, he was booked into a non-title affair with Kintaro, while Seika Izawa faced Anastasiya Svetkivska in one grand prix bout, and Ayaka Hamasaki took on Si Woo Park in the other.

Sunday’s cards are available via Fite.tv — Full results can be found below.

SUPER RIZIN Results

Floyd Mayweather def. Mikuru Asakura by TKO, Round 2, 3:00 – Free weight standing rules bout
KOUZI  def. Jizzy by TKO, Round 3, 3:50 – Free weight standing rules bout
Nadaka Yoshinari def. Bandasak So Trakunpet by TKO, Round 1, 2:24 – Kickboxing
Kota Miura def. Bunchuai Phonsungnoen by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 1:54

RIZIN 38 Results

Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Yuto Hokamura by technical submission (arm-triangle choke), Round 2, 2:59
Seika Izawa def. Anastasiya Svetkivska by submission (armbar), Round 2, 4:56 – RIZIN Super Atomweight World Grand Prix 2022 second round
Si Woo Park def. Ayaka Hamasaki by unanimous decision – RIZIN Super Atomweight World Grand Prix 2022 second round
Soo Chul Kim def. Hiromasa Ougikubo by unanimous decision
Shoma Shibisai def. Callyu Gibrainn by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 1:48
Chihiro Suzuki def. Kyohei Hagiwara by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 2:14
Luiz Gustavo def. Juri Ohara by KO, Round 1, 1:23

The post RIZIN 38 and SUPER RIZIN Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

In advance of the doubleheader (two cards in one day, divided up as RIZIN 38, and SUPER RIZIN), all fighters have successfully made weight. RIZIN officials announced the news Saturday, though no weights were provided for Mayweather Jr. or Asakura. However, given the exhibition contest is contracted as a free weight bout, they cannot technically miss weight.

The rest of the results from Sunday’s cards can be found below.

SUPER RIZIN Weigh-In Results

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Mikuru Asakura – Free weight standing rules, weights not provided
KOUZI (65.30kg) vs. Jizzy (84.45kg) – Free weight standing rules bout
Nadaka Yoshinari (52.45kg) vs. Bandasak So Trakunpet (52.60kg) – Kickboxing
Kota Miura (65.45kg) vs. Bunchuai Phonsungnoen (65.65kg)

RIZIN 38 Weigh-In Results

Kyoji Horiguchi (60.80kg) vs. Kintaro (60.95kg)
Seika Izawa (48.75kg) vs. Anastasiya Svetkivska (49.00kg) – RIZIN Super Atomweight World Grand Prix 2022 second round
Ayaka Hamasaki (49.00kg) vs. Si Woo Park (48.90kg) – RIZIN Super Atomweight World Grand Prix 2022 second round
Hiromasa Ougikubo (60.95kg) vs. Soo Chul Kim (60.85kg)
Shoma Shibisai (110.45kg) vs. Callyu Gibrainn (110.30kg)
Kyohei Hagiwara (65.80kg) vs. Chihiro Suzuki (65.90kg)
Juri Ohara (70.75kg) vs. Luiz Gustavo (70.75kg)

The post RIZIN 38 and SUPER RIZIN Weigh-In Results: All Fighters Make Weight appeared first on Cageside Press.

There’s another fight that the former boxing champ is pushing for, however: a rematch with Conor McGregor.

Mayweather won the pair’s first meeting, dubbed “The Money Fight,” in 2017, earning a TKO victory in the tenth round to improve to 50-0 as a pro boxer. It was McGregor’s first professional boxing match.

A former WBA, WBC, IBF, IBO, IBA, and The Ring welterweight champion (as well as holding belts at super featherweight earlier in his career), Mayweather retired after the bout, and his since made sporadic appearances in exhibition matches around the globe. Those include a 2018 pairing with Tenshin Nasukawa for RIZIN, and more recently, a match-up with Logan Paul.

Now, Mayweather says talks have been held about a sequel to his fight with McGregor, which could come either as an exhibition, or a proper professional fight.

“We don’t know if it’s going to be an exhibition or a real fight. But there’s been talks of both,” Mayweather, 45, said in an interview with Sportsmail recently. He would go on to state that his preference was for an exhibition contest. “I am not into fights where I am going to take any real punishment.”

Mayweather’s reason for boxing McGregor, and YouTube creators like Logan Paul, lays in the idea that they can’t actually hurt him. “So, guys like Conor McGregor and guys that don’t really hit hard such as YouTubers or UFC guys, I don’t really mind colliding with those kinds of individuals but nothing where I am going to put myself in a position where I am going to harm myself or hurt myself,” he stated.

McGregor, however, replied with just a photo of himself in the ring with Mayweather in 2017, adding the hashtag “not interested.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cixynkmpbc3/

The post Mayweather Campaigning for Second McGregor Fight, But UFC Star Is “Not Interested” appeared first on Cageside Press.

During a press conference Monday, both Mayweather and new opponent Mikuru Asakura were present to announce the bout, which will be an exhibition boxing contest lasting three rounds.

Mayweather previously competed for RIZIN in 2018, in another exhibition contest against young star Tenshin Nasukawa. Vastly outsized, Nasukawa wound up knocked down three times in the opening round, which led to his corner throwing in the towel.

Speaking to the media at Monday’s press conference, Mayweather addressed his longevity, the exhibition nature of the contest, and opponent Asakura.

“The name of the game is to hit and not get hit. The less you’re hit, the longer you last. The mind is a terrible thing to waste, and I need this to make smart investments and take care of my family,” Mayweather, one of the most defensively gifted boxers of all time, stated. “But it’s exhibition. I’ve heard it so many times. ‘I’mma beat Floyd, I’mma beat Floyd.’ Well we can go out there and he can do good for all three rounds, I’ll still be 50-0, because it don’t count.”

“Now when it’s for all the marbles, if it’s really for all the marbles, then ya’ll know what I can do,” exclaimed Mayweather. “Like the last time I went to Japan [against Nasukawa], I asked them ‘whatcha all want? Ya want to go the distance, tell me what you want, you want one round, two rounds, or three rounds?’ I said ‘because I can drag it out like the Logan Paul fight if you want me to, or I can clip him early, I can clip his wings early.’ So what I did, I went out there and clipped his wings early.”

“A lot of times, when you violate, we will demonstrate,” Mayweather added. “But I’m pretty sure he [Asakura] believes in his skills, but you’ve gotta realize, no fighter that he has ever been in the ring with is Floyd Mayweather.”

Mayweather retired from boxing at 50-0, with his final pro bout a defeat of UFC superstar Conor McGregor, in what became known as The Money Fight. It wound up as the second highest-selling PPV of all time, behind only Mayweather-Pacquiao.

Asakura holds a record of 16-3, 1NC in MMA, and is a former RINGS featherweight and lightweight champion. He challenged for RIZIN’s featherweight title in 2020, coming up short against Yutaka Saito. Asakura has won his last two fights.

Mayweather vs. Asakura will be available to stream on RIZIN Fight Pass, a new streaming service RIZIN is preparing to launch. The exact date for the September card and other details are expected to be released soon.

The post Floyd Mayweather to Face Mikuru Asakura in Exhibition Boxing Match for RIZIN appeared first on Cageside Press.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and UFC legend Anderson Silva are both expected to appear on the card, originally booked for a helipad on the roof of the Burjal Arab hotel in Dubai last weekend. However, the death of UAE ruler Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has seen the event pushed back a week.

A sandstorm appears to be to blame for the change of venue/location, at least in part. Mayweather posted news of the new date and location on his social media profiles on Thursday.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdwN3lyBsiO

A report by MMA Fighting lists the new venue as the Etihad Arena. That venue has played host to UFC events on multiple occasions.

Mayweather, who finished his professional boxing career at 50-0 following a win over UFC superstar Conor McGregor, has dabbled in exhibition bouts ever since. That includes appearances against Tenshin Nasukawa and Logan Paul.

Silva, for his part, went 2-0 in boxing last year, defeating former champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a professional bout, then knocking out Tito Ortiz in an exhibition contest. In Abu Dhabi, he’s expected to face another former MMA fighter, Bruno Machado. Mayweather, meanwhile, faces Don Moore. Both bouts will be exhibition contests.

The post Boxing Spectacle Featuring Mayweather, Silva Moved to Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on May 21 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Try as he might, the money man could not hit the jackpot on Sunday night as Floyd Mayweather went the distance with YouTuber turned boxer Logan Paul.

SHEESH 😳 #MayweatherPaul pic.twitter.com/Xi7DvJbBcD

— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) June 7, 2021

While the exhibition was sold around the idea of seeing either an epic upset or a masterclass from the world’s best, the reality was that the traits of both men essentially cancelled each other out.  The first round was the most eventful, ending with an eager Paul unloading a barrage against Mayweather that appeared to have the former champion in trouble due to the severe size disadvantage.

It was all for naught in the end.  Paul’s shots looked more labored as the bout wore on, but his size and length were enough that Mayweather kept to the outside for the majority of the bout.  Paul had little to offer besides his jab and looping punches at close range, choosing to clinch Mayweather throughout the fight when the champion would look to go to work.  Mayweather, for all his prowess, struggled to land enough clean shots on the bigger Paul and left the bout looking no worse for wear despite giving up roughly 30 pounds to the entertainer.  The fight ended without a decision with no winner or loser as it was an exhibition.

Following the bout, Mayweather paid respect to Paul for what he accomplished in the ring and addressed the result:

I had fun. You’ve got to realize I’m not 21 anymore. But it’s good to move around with these young guys. He’s a great young fighter. He’s better than I thought he was. He’s a tough, rough competitor. It was good, had fun. I was surprised by him tonight. I had fun.

Paul took the moment to share a message of inspiration to those watching, addressing those that believed he would be far too outmatched despite his size advantage over the generational talent.

I don’t want anyone to tell me anything is impossible ever again. The fact that I’m in here with one of the greatest boxers of all time proves that the odds can be beaten. I’m the maverick. I go right when they go left. I’m the unorthodox one. I’m the independent one and everyone has it in them. Everyone can beat the odds and do great things in life and I want everyone to know that. That’s the message that I’m here to say.

The co-main event nearly saw an unusual turn of events as respected professional Badou Jack took on short notice opponent Dervin Colina.  Colina repeatedly continued to hold in the clinch to the point that the referee threatened disqualification if he continued.  As the fight entered the fourth round, the overmatched Colina was stopped by Jack via body shots.  Jack’s originally scheduled opponent Jean Pascal was forced out of the bout due to testing positive for performance enhancing drugs.

.@BadouJack stops Colina with his 3rd knockdown in round 4 💥👀 #JackColina #MayweatherPaul pic.twitter.com/eVLhKTR9G3

— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) June 7, 2021

A main card bout between Luis Arias and Jarrett Hurd brought the most controversy as the two went the distance in a fight that saw multiple pauses due to the canvas getting wet by rain.  While the ring itself was covered overhead, the wind brought in moisture that made the surface slippery throughout the fight.  Notably, the fight was held in an outdoor stadium despite only a limited number of floor seats being taken up inside the venue.  Several slips occurred throughout the fight, including a controversial one where Arias appeared to slip at the same time as eating a shot behind the ear from Hurd that the referee ruled as a knockdown.  In the end, the underdog Arias walked away with a split-decision victory.

Round 9 was fun 👀#HurdArias #MayweatherPaul pic.twitter.com/dWIH6bvxS7

— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) June 7, 2021

Finally, ex-NFL player Chad Johnson (better known as Chad Ochocinco during his playing days) went the distance against Brian Maxwell in his exhibition to open the main card.  Johnson notably survived a solid knockdown during the bout.  Like the Mayweather vs Paul main event, no winner or lose was announced for his fight.

The post Wet Canvas Steals Show as Mayweather vs. Paul Goes the Distance appeared first on Cageside Press.

We know what the script is supposed to be.  Floyd Mayweather Jr, 50-0 and arguably the best boxer of a generation, is not coming back to lose an exhibition.  Logan Paul, 0-1-1 with a roughly a 50 pound size advantage is coming in to do his part to sell the bout and not make it appear as if they have robbed the paying audience on a rare Sunday fight night.

But here we are.

https://twitter.com/ESPNRingside/status/1364757653159702528?s=20

Think of celebrity boxing as a garden.  The flowers were planted long before Logan or Jake Paul ever made a video on YouTube.  There have been celebrity bouts throughout history and there was even a network television show called  Celebrity Boxing (on FOX, of course) in the early 2000s.  Over the years, more flowers blossomed.

In 2017, a special group of seeds were planted by two internet celebrities that have emerged as the social influencers of today. Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, better known to Generation Z as the YouTuber KSI, called out the controversial Logan Paul to a boxing match.  The event became a runaway success, selling out London’s Wembley Arena with a fight card that saw Jake Paul fight KSI’s little brother (another YouTuber) in the co-main event.  A year later, the event was successful enough that Logan Paul and KSI gave an encore for a sold out Staples Center in California, with respected “real boxers” Billy Joe Saunders and Devin Haney being relegated to the undercard.  Notably, the first fight was a draw and Paul lost the rematch.

The pair of events proved an undeniable fact: there was a paying audience for the entertainment they were putting on.  One that was paying well.  Fast-forward to two years later, Jake Paul has proven that the celebrity boxing model in 2021 can be highly lucrative when done correctly.  The proof can be made with the impressions made by his bout with former MMA fighter Ben Askren.  Quite simply, the once overlooked garden of celebrity boxing is now flourishing brightly in the digital age.

Logan Paul is putting in serious work 🥊

via @LoganPaul | #KSILoganPaul2 pic.twitter.com/V8YtyWlE3J

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 21, 2019

This has made Sunday’s event one quite unlike any other.  On the surface, it is a cash grab by two proven self-marketers.  Look deeper, it is a test to see just how far the bubble can be pushed before it bursts.  With the backing of Floyd Mayweather and Showtime, a pairing that literally has put on the most successful combat sports events of all time, celebrity boxing will see just how lucrative the business can be.  Alone, Mayweather has commanded large numbers with far lesser known opponents across from him.  Anyone with sense is not fooled by the size and age discrepancy between the two, certainly not enough to pay the $49.99 price tag.  The real test is if Paul’s large fanbase is loyal enough to part with their hard earned money.  His job is to convince them he actually has a shot at upsetting the all-time great.

At worst, the event will flop and the two will walk off with into the sunset with millions already secured in their bank account.  At best, the two will put on a lucrative event that adds even more interest to so-called “sideshow” events at a time when Triller and other promotions are already investing considerable money into the space.  Monday morning could see the result at either end of the spectrum or anywhere in between.

But what could come next?  After getting the highest paid athlete in the world to participate, what could be bigger for celebrity boxing?  After a fight between Mayweather and Paul, can we still be as excited for Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley?  Sunday is challenging celebrity boxing to push their ceiling to the limit just months after it has blossomed into the newest craze in combat sports.

If there is a higher level than what we will see tomorrow, then make peace with the fact that it is here to stay.

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