Tenshin Nasukawa is no stranger to combat sports. With a perfect record of 44-0 in kickboxing – and to a lesser extent in MMA with his record of 4-0, he’s become a household name in Japan and across the world. But now, Nasukawa is ready to take on a new challenge: professional boxing.
After announcing his transition to boxing last year, Tenshin Nasukawa (0-0), 24, has now revealed the date of his professional boxing debut. The match will take place on April 8, 2023, at the Ariaka Arena in Tokyo, Japan, and will be featured on the undercard of the highly anticipated “Prime Video Presents Live Boxing” event with the Junior Flyweight unification bout between Kenshiro Teraji (20-1, 12 KO’s) and Jonathan Gonzalez (27-3-1, 14 KO’s) headlining.
For his debut, Nasukawa will be facing Yuki Yonaha (12-4-1, 8 KO’s), the fourth-ranked Bantamweight of the Japanese Boxing Commission, in a six-round fight at 122 lbs. It’s sure to be an electrifying matchup, as Nasukawa will bring his explosive style and experience to the ring against a tough and talented opponent.
To prepare for his professional debut, Nasukawa underwent a grueling examination by the Japanese Boxing Commission on February 9, 2023. He passed with flying colors, scoring 97/100 on the written test, making weight at 58 kilograms (126 lbs), passing a physical examination, and performing well in a three-round sparring session against Jin Minamide, a Japanese Bantamweight title challenger.
Though Nasukawa will be making his official debut on April 8, this is not the Japanese kickboxer’s first taste in boxing; Nasukawa became Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s first opponent when he ventured into the entertainment spectacle of ‘exhibition boxing’, non-professional boxing bouts which are not officiated by judges or counted officially as a professional boxing match. The added bonus of these bouts is that participants are able to rake in a lot of money, without taking the same risks as actual professional boxers. More about this concept is highlighted in this article.
The “Prime Video Presents Live Boxing” event will feature five highly anticipated fights, including world title matches and some of the best talent in the world of boxing. Fans won’t want to miss this action-packed event, which will be live-streamed for viewers all around the world.
Tenshin Nasukawa’s highly anticipated professional boxing debut, taking place on April 8, 2023, at Ariaka Arena in Tokyo, Japan, as part of the “Prime Video Presents Live Boxing” event, marks a new era in boxing as Floyd Mayweather’s first exhibition opponent takes a legitimate step into the professional boxing world. Though not the first to do so, as proven recently by Cris Cyborg’s (1-0, 0 KO’s) recent fight on the undercard of Crawford vs. Avanesyan, he is one the most notable figures to take this step, especially given his popularity in Japan and their
Nasukawa’s willingness to fight a seasoned professional boxer is a sharp turn from any other athlete that has entered the sport. Only Anderson Silva (3-2, 2 KO’s), previously one of the most popular fighters of the UFC, is a recent entry from another combat sport that has dared – and succeeded – in challenging a veteran pro boxer in Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the son of boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez Sr, who had amassed over fifty professional bouts throughout his career.
A win for Nasukawa would herald in the coming of a new Japanese prospect in pro boxing, and could potentially open the door for more crossover athletes to follow in his footsteps. Regardless of the outcome, Nasukawa’s debut is sure to be a thrilling and historic moment in the world of combat sports, and fans around the globe will be eagerly anticipating his entrance into the professional boxing ring.
