Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao rematch promoter blocked as MMA’s RIZIN told no by Japanese Boxing Commission
MMA promotion RIZIN have been blocked from staging the Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao rematch by the Japanese Boxing Commission.
Mayweather retired professionally from the ring in 2017 after beating UFC star Conor McGregor, but returned just a year later to face Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa.
The 42-year-old made £7million for his one-round demolition of Asian superstar Nasukawa in an exhibition bout in Tokyo, staged by Japanese MMA stable RIZIN.
But talk has now turned to another mega-money clash between Mayweather and Pacquiao, after the pair broke box office records for their dull and tactical 2015 fight.
Former pay-per-view king Mayweather revealed he wanted to take the second fight to Japan, offering PacMan an exhibition bout, with RIZIN interested in staging the event.
But the promotion’s president Nobuyuki Sakakibara revealed the JBC will prevent them from getting involved in the historic rematch - instead wanting to commission the fight themselves.
Sakakibara told SunSport: “As long as it’s a boxing bout it’s really hard for us because of the regulations with the Japanese Boxing Commission.
“Whatever boxing happens they have to overlook everything, so for us to hold a straight up boxing match, it’s very difficult.
“If they were going to fight in an MMA match that would be no problem - we’d love to do that.
“But straight boxing, we do believe the JBC would overlook it. Even an exhibition bout it’s still hard for us to host the event.
“They’re two huge names in the boxing industry and for us to bypass the JBC and put on such a big fight, even an exhibition, that just wouldn’t fly."
Money-man Mayweather was only allowed to compete on RIZIN’s annual New Year’s Eve show last December as he was facing a kickboxer.
Sakakibara revealed if the American was to fight another boxer, then they would be prevented from working with the ring legend again.
He said: “The only reason we could do Mayweather vs Tenshin was because he’s not a boxer, he’s never been a boxer, he’s a kickboxer.
“With Mayweather and Pacquiao boxing in an exhibition match, it would be really hard for us to host.
RIZIN president Nobuyuki Sakakibara
“That was the way we got around it, but Manny Pacquiao is still a current active boxer and Floyd Mayweather, although he’s still retired, he’s still a boxer.
“With Mayweather and Pacquiao boxing in an exhibition match, it would be really hard for us to host.”
WBA welterweight champion Pacquiao slammed Mayweather’s exhibition clash against featherweight boxing novice Nasukawa.
But five months removed from the uncompetitive fight it was announced the Filipino great would work with RIZIN as an ambassador for the promotion.
Sakakibara confirmed Pacquaio will not fight for the Japanese MMA group, but will introduce fighters from the Philippines to the Asian stable.
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He added: “There’s no set contract with Manny Pacquiao.
“We did discuss that both our interests would be introducing our athletes between the Philippines and Japansese fighters.
“We both agreed to have our fighters get more exposure and experience and Manny will let us know if he has fighters that would do well and we’d give them the opportunity.”
