MIKURU ASAKURA is the MMA and YouTube star selected as Floyd Mayweather’s next exhibition opponent.
Mayweather returns to the ring this weekend in Japan over three-rounds against Asakura at the Saitama Super Arena.
It was in Tokyo in 2018 when the American first returned to the ring, a year after retiring as a professional following victory over Conor McGregor, 34.
Mayweather beat Tenshin Nasukawa, 24, in one round and went on to face YouTuber Logan Paul, 27, and ex-sparring partner Don Moore in further exhibition bouts.
Asakura, 30, is the latest man to welcome the Hall of Famer, 45, back to the ring.
The southpaw has 16 wins, three losses and one no-contest in MMA.
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He has two victories on the spin, most recently in December against Yutaka Saito, 34, who was the first man to ever beat Asakura in RIZIN.
But away from the ring, he is a popular YouTuber, with almost 3 MILLION subscribers.
Asakura mixes training videos with daily vlogs and even pranks and unsurprisingly has documented the lead up to his fight with Mayweather.
Like the boxing icon, Asakura also has a love for cars, posing alongside a Bentley and Mercedes on his Instagram.
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The former MMA champion is joined in the sport by his younger brother Kai, 28, arguably the bigger name in the Far East.
Kai even posed with Mayweather and RIZIN president Nobuyuki Sakakibara in May, fuelling rumours of a future fight.
But it is brother Mikuru who faces the self-proclaimed Best Ever, and vows to pull of the upset.
He said: “I’m an MMA fighter but, I’m going to use this opportunity, and I’m going to use him to raise my name and value internationally.
“I will win this fight.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
