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Most in the West know Tenshin as the guy who got stopped by Floyd in an exhibition but he is an elite Kickboxer who did big ratings in Japan & his biggest Kickboxing fight sold 500K buys there (impressive because PPV isn't a thing in Japan like in the West). So I got curious on why he switched to boxing & this is what I found on Japanese internet. I used ChatGPT for translate but cross checked against DeepL & both give roughly the same translation.
"(Boxing) has an incredible level of trust from the public," he said. There is another stance as well. It's not just about facing opponents, but always adopting the attitude of "fighting against the world." By turning to boxing, Tenshin realized the "authority" of being recognized by the world as a ring sport.
"Quite a few people know that I switched to boxing. I get encouragement from uncles, women, and children on the street, saying, 'Good luck with boxing.'"
He also experienced firsthand the difference in the way the media treated him.
"Just by announcing the switch, it was covered in newspapers and reported on national news... Even my debut fight was in all the newspapers, so I thought, 'Oh, this is how it is.' It has a long history, and the trust of the masses is amazing.. It made me feel that it's truly acknowledged by society as something legitimate (as a sport)."
number.bunshun.jp
"Why is Tenshin Nasukawa taking the risk of switching to boxing? Is the presence of Naoya Inoue and changes in kickboxing rules the background?"
2021/04/22
To address such questions, we have invited a special guest this time. Trainer Takeshi Yamada from JB SPORTS BOXING GYM. While actively working as a boxing coach, Trainer Yamada has also been involved in coaching kickboxers and mixed martial artists for many years. He even coached fighters like Nasukawa and K-1 champion turned boxer Yoshiki Takei when they transitioned from kickboxing to boxing at a young age. He is a unique presence, well-versed not only in the boxing world but also in other professional combat sports.
One of the "backgrounds" that Trainer Yamada points out is the changes in the rules of kickboxing. He mentions that kickboxers like Nasukawa and Yoshiki Takei, who would be proficient enough in boxing, emerged due to the rule changes in kickboxing. Let's have him explain it.
"Kickboxing has gradually become closer to boxing."
"Fifteen or twenty years ago, kickboxing not only involved punches and kicks but also included clinches, elbow strikes, and knee kicks in matches. So, there were quite a few scenes of grappling during matches. In essence, it was like Muay Thai. However, it was decided to change the rules because such grappling scenes were not considered interesting for television. As a result of gradual changes, it has now become the norm that 'grappling is not allowed' in kickboxing matches held in Japan. That's how kickboxing in Japan has progressively moved closer to boxing."
Now, it's clear that changes in kickboxing rules have given rise to players like Nasukawa. But what could be the trigger for such transitions? Trainer Yamada explicitly mentioned the presence of Naoya Inoue, the "Monster" holding belts in two out of the four major organizations in the bantamweight class.
"I think he felt, 'I can become like that too.'
Inoue's presence is truly significant. He takes the main stage in Las Vegas, gaining respect in the American boxing world despite being a lightweight Japanese fighter. Of course, his fight purse is substantial. Such a player has never existed before. Inoue and Tenshin have similar body sizes. That's why Tenshin, watching Inoue, felt, 'I want to become like that. I can be like that.'"
"In the past, even if a boxing world champion became famous domestically, they were often not well-known internationally. However, the boxing world has now globalized, and information flows worldwide through the internet. There is an increase in players competing overseas. In this context, Inoue has achieved a position that previous Japanese world champions struggled to attain: being recognized globally and fighting at the center of the world."
"So, what we're aiming for is the path Inoue [Naoya] has taken."
number.bunshun.jp
"Why did Tenshin Nasukawa switch to boxing instead of MMA?" on Japanese Yahoo group discussions:
In boxing, there are matching weight classes, but in MMA, although the UFC has a Flyweight division at around 57 kilograms, it is constantly under consideration for elimination. Additionally, organizations like Bellator don't even have a 57-kilogram class, and many MMA organizations have the 61-kilogram class as the lightest weight class. Perhaps that's why they think boxing is more likely to have global appeal.
Note that Tenshin mentioned that he was receiving offers from MMA promoters including One FC, Bellator, & UFC until he officially announced his switch to Boxing
The things you find when you don't fill your head with constant "Boxing is dying" doomerism that pervades the American media
"(Boxing) has an incredible level of trust from the public," he said. There is another stance as well. It's not just about facing opponents, but always adopting the attitude of "fighting against the world." By turning to boxing, Tenshin realized the "authority" of being recognized by the world as a ring sport.
"Quite a few people know that I switched to boxing. I get encouragement from uncles, women, and children on the street, saying, 'Good luck with boxing.'"
He also experienced firsthand the difference in the way the media treated him.
"Just by announcing the switch, it was covered in newspapers and reported on national news... Even my debut fight was in all the newspapers, so I thought, 'Oh, this is how it is.' It has a long history, and the trust of the masses is amazing.. It made me feel that it's truly acknowledged by society as something legitimate (as a sport)."
那須川天心は井上尚弥の「比べるのは流石に可哀想」をどう受け止めた？「あっ、触れるんだ…」24歳が語ったホンネ《単独インタビュー》（布施鋼治）
「転向を宣言しただけで新聞に載ったり、全国ニュースで報道されたり……。デビュー戦も全部の新聞に載っていたので、『ああ、こんな感じなんだな』と思いました」（那須川天心）
number.bunshun.jp
"Why is Tenshin Nasukawa taking the risk of switching to boxing? Is the presence of Naoya Inoue and changes in kickboxing rules the background?"
2021/04/22
To address such questions, we have invited a special guest this time. Trainer Takeshi Yamada from JB SPORTS BOXING GYM. While actively working as a boxing coach, Trainer Yamada has also been involved in coaching kickboxers and mixed martial artists for many years. He even coached fighters like Nasukawa and K-1 champion turned boxer Yoshiki Takei when they transitioned from kickboxing to boxing at a young age. He is a unique presence, well-versed not only in the boxing world but also in other professional combat sports.
One of the "backgrounds" that Trainer Yamada points out is the changes in the rules of kickboxing. He mentions that kickboxers like Nasukawa and Yoshiki Takei, who would be proficient enough in boxing, emerged due to the rule changes in kickboxing. Let's have him explain it.
"Kickboxing has gradually become closer to boxing."
"Fifteen or twenty years ago, kickboxing not only involved punches and kicks but also included clinches, elbow strikes, and knee kicks in matches. So, there were quite a few scenes of grappling during matches. In essence, it was like Muay Thai. However, it was decided to change the rules because such grappling scenes were not considered interesting for television. As a result of gradual changes, it has now become the norm that 'grappling is not allowed' in kickboxing matches held in Japan. That's how kickboxing in Japan has progressively moved closer to boxing."
Now, it's clear that changes in kickboxing rules have given rise to players like Nasukawa. But what could be the trigger for such transitions? Trainer Yamada explicitly mentioned the presence of Naoya Inoue, the "Monster" holding belts in two out of the four major organizations in the bantamweight class.
"I think he felt, 'I can become like that too.'
Inoue's presence is truly significant. He takes the main stage in Las Vegas, gaining respect in the American boxing world despite being a lightweight Japanese fighter. Of course, his fight purse is substantial. Such a player has never existed before. Inoue and Tenshin have similar body sizes. That's why Tenshin, watching Inoue, felt, 'I want to become like that. I can be like that.'"
"In the past, even if a boxing world champion became famous domestically, they were often not well-known internationally. However, the boxing world has now globalized, and information flows worldwide through the internet. There is an increase in players competing overseas. In this context, Inoue has achieved a position that previous Japanese world champions struggled to attain: being recognized globally and fighting at the center of the world."
"So, what we're aiming for is the path Inoue [Naoya] has taken."
那須川天心はなぜリスクをとってボクシング転向するのか… “井上尚弥の存在”とキックのルール変更が背景に？（渋谷淳）
キックボクシング界の若きスター、那須川天心がキックボクシングを引退し、ボクシングに転向すると宣言した。正確には2022年3月の試合を最後にキックボクサーとしての活動をやめて、以降はボクシングに専念するという。
number.bunshun.jp
"Why did Tenshin Nasukawa switch to boxing instead of MMA?" on Japanese Yahoo group discussions:
In boxing, there are matching weight classes, but in MMA, although the UFC has a Flyweight division at around 57 kilograms, it is constantly under consideration for elimination. Additionally, organizations like Bellator don't even have a 57-kilogram class, and many MMA organizations have the 61-kilogram class as the lightest weight class. Perhaps that's why they think boxing is more likely to have global appeal.
Note that Tenshin mentioned that he was receiving offers from MMA promoters including One FC, Bellator, & UFC until he officially announced his switch to Boxing
The things you find when you don't fill your head with constant "Boxing is dying" doomerism that pervades the American media
