Kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa has been training with former world champion Jorge Linares ahead of his exhibition bout with Floyd Mayweather.
Mayweather with take on the 20-year-old in a three-round exhibition boxing match as part of the Rizin 14 MMA card on New Year’s Eve.
The undefeated American, who last fought in August in 2017 when he beat Conor McGregor with a 10th round TKO victory, has insisted their bout is a purely a “little boxing exhibition,” making no secret of the fact money is his motivation for taking the fight.
Nasukawa has other ideas however and is planning a major upset.
To try and do that, he has sought the help of the recently dethroned WBA lightweight champion Linares, who left his native Venezuela to turn pro in Japan with Teiken Boxing Promotions when he was 17.
“He [Linares] taught me how to find a way to land a punch against [Mayweather’s defence],” Nasukama said having trained at Linares’ gym in Nevada, the Japan Times report.
“He’s got an outstanding defence and [Linares] told me some certain punches [to use] against him.”
Japanese new outlet Tokyo-Sports have speculated Rizin will pay Mayweather an estimated $88million – for taking the fight to be held at the Saitama Super Arena.
