Floyd Mayweather vs. Tenshin Nasukawa Exhibition Fight Rules Announced

When it was initially announced in early November that boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa would square off on New Year's Eve, there were no shortage of questions surrounding the event, namely what the rules would be.

Those questions have been answered.

According to MMAFighting.com's Marc Raimondi, the bout will be a trio of three-minute rounds under straight boxing rules. They will each wear eight-ounce Rizin gloves. There will be no judges for this exhibition bout, and the result will not affect either fighter's official record. 

Mayweather and Nasukawa will fight at 147 pounds on Dec. 31 at Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

The Rizin Fighting Federation announced last month that a bout had been scheduled for Dec. 31. However, Money later denied there was an agreement:

But the details have been worked out and a fight will indeed go on. 

Mayweather has a perfect 50-0 career record and has beaten the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor. However, the 41-year-old has not fought since August 2017.

Regardless, he is looking forward to a unique showdown.

"I love competing against fighters from all walks of life like in my amateur days," Mayweather said in the official release, per Raimondi. "It's all about entertainment. Nine minutes of entertainment. It's going to be amazing. I'm in the entertainment business. That's what I go out there to do. I love to do this. I'm working out to put on a show for three rounds."

His opponent shares that excitement.

"There's never been a Japanese fighter to face Floyd Mayweather in the ring," Nasukawa said in the release. "As an athlete, this is something that's a great honor and a challenging task. I'd like to make a big impression."

Now that the rules are in place, the fighters know what they must prepare for. For boxing fans, the countdown to Dec. 31 is underway.