FLOYD MAYWEATHER has been in talks to box again in Japan – but faces a fight to travel.
The coronavirus pandemic is preventing the 43-year-old from flying over to Tokyo and discussing a lucrative ring return.
Mayweather officially retired from professional boxing in 2017 after beating UFC star Conor McGregor.
But he made a brief cameo a year later as he faced featherweight Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa on RIZIN’s annual New Year’s Eve event.
The exhibition bout lasted just over two minutes as Mayweather floored the boxing novice three times on the way to pocketing £7million.
Mayweather on several occasions said he would compete in more mega-money exhibition bouts, recently telling former opponent Zab Judah he was in the process of negotiating another.
Sources close to MMA promotion RIZIN, told SunSport the American’s team have been in communication about another fight in Japan.
In a recent Instagram post, Mayweather claimed he was travelling to Tokyo to speak with his partners and RIZIN to discuss “something this year”.
But sources say with Japan’s international borders shut, promoters doubt the American is able to travel over, even in his private jet.
Last year RIZIN chief Nobuyuki Sakakibara told SunSport they would welcome Mayweather back, but only if they had a suited opponent.
The legendary boxer sparked comeback rumours in November after revealing he was “coming out of retirement in 2020” to work with UFC boss Dana White.
He even said he would fight McGregor and lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in an unprecedented box office event.
At the start of the year White insisted Mayweather was in his plans, but the momentum has since fallen off.
Mayweather suffered double tragedy after his former partner and mother to three of his kids Josie Harris passed away before uncle and ex-trainer Roger died a week later.
Still the 43-year-old remained in his Las Vegas boxing gym keeping speculation he was making a return alive.
It is understood Mayweather is keen to return to Japan and “help the community in any way he can”.
We revealed he was hoping to cash in on the new bookies landing in Japan after launching TMT Japan (The Money Team) in Tokyo last June.
Mayweather also announced a partnership between management company Libera and Kyoei boxing gym.
RIZIN confirmed they will return with back-to-back shows on August 9 and then the following day.
And with officials hoping to have a reduced crowd filling 50 per cent of the 10,000 capacity Pia Arena MM in Yokohama, the stage could be set for Mayweather’s Far East comeback.
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