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American boxing champion Floyd Mayweather has joined mixed martial arts
The undefeated 41-year-old boxer signed with Japan's RIZIN Fighting Federation
He will make his debut on December 31 in Saitama at Roppongi Hills club
His opponent is set to be 20-year-old Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa
In 2017 said his boxing career was over after beating MMA star Conor McGregor

By Leah Simpson For Dailymail.com and Reuters

Published: 01:56 EST, 5 November 2018 | Updated: 02:00 EST, 5 November 2018

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Floyd Mayweather will make his mix martial arts debut December 31 as he takes part in a New Year's Eve spectacular with an MMA champion at Roppongi Hills club in Saitama.

The American undefeated world heavyweight champion boxer, 41, will be facing 20-year-old Japanese kickboxer, Tenshin Nasukawa - a man who has won all four of his MMA fights.

He revealed the news in Tokyo, Japan Monday as he announced he had signed up with Japanese promoters RIZIN Fighting Federation, in what he said was good timing.

Undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather with his opponent Tenshin Nasukawa during a news conference Monday in Tokyo, Japan to announce he is joining Japanese Mixed Martial Arts

Mayweather has joined promotional company Rizin Fighting Federation

He revealed he will make his debut on December 31 in Saitama at Roppongi Hills club

One Entertainment CEO Brent Johnson (left), Floyd Mayweather (second left), Rizin Chairman Nobuyuki Sakakibara (center), Tenshon Nasukawa (second right) and Rizin General Manager Nobuhiko Takada (right) announced the match for December 31

'I can wrestle, I can wrestle little bit. I can box a lot a bit,' Mayweather said to Reuters on Saturday, two days prior to the news conference. 'We will just see. I can do it all. I can do anything if I set my mind to it.'

He was pictured with One Entertainment CEO Brent Johnson, Rizin Chairman Nobuyuki Sakakibara (center), and Rizin General Manager Nobuhiko Takadaat the event to announce the match.

'Everything is about timing, everything takes time and everything is about timing,' he told Reuters. 'Its also all about entertainment. I love to entertain, I like for people to be entertained and who doesn't want to be entertained.

'It is good to come over to another part of the world, have fun and enjoy each other.'

Mayweather has never fought professionally under MMA rules and did not specify what format the fight would follow

He said negotiations were ongoing with Nasukawa's representatives and that his skill-set did not end at boxing

Mayweather has won world titles in five different weight classes and his undefeated boxinf record stands at 50-0.

Last year he said his boxing career was over after beating Irish MMA fighter Conor McGregor in the boxing ring and now he is going down McGregor's career path.

Mayweather's fight against McGregor pushed his career earnings to $1 billion, joining American basketball great Michael Jordan and golfer Tiger Woods as the only athletes to have reached 10-figures in earnings, according to Forbes.

'I can wrestle, I can wrestle little bit. I can box a lot a bit,' Mayweather told Reuters in an interview Tokyo on Saturday

'I can do anything if I set my mind to it,' he said on Saturday during the interview

While boxing rules restrict bouts to the use of fists, MMA rules can incorporate kicks, knees and elbow strikes, as well as wrestling, joint locks and chokes.

Mayweather has never fought professionally under the official MMA rules and did not specify what format the fight would follow.

He said negotiations were ongoing with Nasukawa's representatives and but reassured his skill-set did not end at boxing.

Nasukawa (pictured right against Yuta Cat Hamamoto of Japan during the RIZIN Fighting World Grand-Prix 2017) competes in their championships in both MMA and pure kickboxing

Nasukawa (pictured celebrating his KO victory against Hamamoto in the final Round at Saitama Super Arena on December 31, 2017) has won all four of his MMA fights

Nasukawa competes in both MMA and pure kickboxing.

Mayweather was confident they would reach an agreement that would suit both fighters.

'I am pretty sure that when I speak with the guys from my team we are going to get on the same page so we can go out there and do what we have to do,' he added.

Mayweather's fight against McGregor pushed his career earnings to $1 billion

Floyd Mayweather Jr. throws a punch at Conor McGregor during their super welterweight boxing match on August 26, 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada

Nasukawa won his last kickboxing bout against compatriot Kyoji Horiguchi at RIZIN.13 in September.

Mayweather is expecting to have good face-off with the young man.

'He is very fast, very young and I am pretty sure he wants to go out and entertain his people,' Mayweather said. 'I am pretty sure the crowd is going to be on his side but I am there for a great cause. It is a special bout.

'Just for me to be in the ring with a young guy that is hungry ... It is going to be good, very, very good and I can´t wait.'

After Mayweather was pictured with Manny Pacquiao at a music festival in Japan in September he said he was coming out of retirement for another fight with him.

They last fought in May 2015.