Tenshin Nasukawa says he didn't earn the right to fight Floyd Mayweather and underestimated the unbeaten boxer

Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images

Tenshin Nasukawa failed to last a round in his exhibition against Floyd Mayweather.

• Tenshin Nasukawa admits he did not earn the right to fight Floyd Mayweather at Rizin 14's New Year's Eve show in Japan.
• The 20-year-old was blown away in just 139 seconds by Mayweather, who dropped him three times in a one-sided rout.
• Regardless, the Japanese kickboxer has "no regrets" about the event and is still determined to emulate Mayweather and "haul the industry" on his shoulders in the years ahead.

Tenshin Nasukawa has "no regrets" over his first round knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather and said he simply underestimated the unbeaten fighter.

The 20-year-old Japanese kickboxer was thrust into the global spotlight when a press conference in Japan was held to announce and promote a bizarre exhibition bout between Nasukawa and Mayweather.

Mayweather arrived late to the Saitama Arena in Saitama, Japan, delaying the Rizin 14 show by 90 minutes on December 31.

But though he turned up late, he finished the fight early as he punished Nasukawa from the opening bell. Mayweather dropped the younger fighter three times, making Nasukawa's corner throw in the white towel of surrender after just 139 seconds.

Read more: Floyd Mayweather's fight against Tenshin Nasukawa was 'fake,' according to a former UFC heavyweight

The loss made Nasukawa cry in his own corner but he has since broken his silence by publishing a lengthy post on Instagram where he called the show "an opportunity of a lifetime" even though there were "differences in accomplishments and weight classes."

He said: "I first got the offer I took it in a flash… At the end of the day, I got finished, but I have no regrets."

Nasukawa added that, while he enjoyed an impressive start to his kickboxing career, he had not done enough in combat sports in general to warrant facing someone like Mayweather, a fighter heralded as the best the sport has seen in the last 25 years.

"I am disappointed at myself since I thought I could have done better. But I will face the facts and will continue to take on any challenge. I learned that I didn't work hard enough to earn this opportunity, and I will use this defeat to improve myself and move forward this year.

"Despite all the things that happened leading up to the fight, I came to realize how truly great Mayweather was. I was the one underestimating him."

Nasukawa then pledged to emulate Mayweather and "become the man to haul the industry" on his shoulders.

Read the post below:

It is unclear when he will next compete, but Nasukawa fought five kickboxing events in 2018 and will likely be kept busy in the year ahead.