Former five division world champion Floyd Mayweather, 42-years-old, is apparently walking away from a potential exhibition bout payday in China.

Back on New Year's Eve, Mayweather made millions in an exhibition bout in Japan - where he blew away kickoxing superstar Tenshin Nasukawa in one round.

Mayweather retired from active fighting back in 2017, after stopping UFC superstar Conor McGregor in August of that year.

According to Hong Kong's DEF Promotions director and promoter Jay Lau, he met with Mayweather twice to finalize a deal. The exhibition bout would have taken place in the first half of 2020 - as part of the grand opening of a new casino.

Lau was under the impression that Mayweather would finalize the terms - but he now says the undefeated boxer is more interested in a rematch of his 2015 mega-fight with Manny Pacquiao.

“Mayweather came two times to Hong Kong, he spoke with my son Jayson and we had communications but now he is focussing the Pacquiao rematch," Lau told Sun Sport.

“We were talking about an exhibition in China, a big event but not a recorded professional boxing fight. Something like Mayweather vs Tenshin in Japan. We spoke a bit about doing a special fight in China, but half way through he turned to the Pacquiao rematch so we stopped.

“I’ll let him do his thing with Manny, the rematch is the biggest thing that can happen, so why bother with the exhibition bout first? If that happens we will stop everything and let him do his thing first. I hope it does happen, it could be a big possibility that fight is the grand opening for the Japan casinos. The only thing I will say is he’s expensive, so we have to work really hard to get him back over to Asia - the offer is not easy.”

Pacquiao returned to the ring back in July, when he decisioned unbeaten Keith Thurman for the WBA welterweight title. He is not expected to fight again until the first quarter of next year.