“A clear image of myself winning” - Masaaki Noiri confident he can shake up the featherweight ranks with upset win vs Tawanchai

Masaaki Noiri doesn't mind being underestimated ahead of the biggest fight of his career against Tawanchai PK Saenchai.

The Japanese star will look to spoil the featherweight Muay Thai world champion's two-sport aspirations in one of five world title contests at ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang this Sunday, March 23.

If Masaaki Noiri succeeds, he'll capture the interim featherweight kickboxing world title in front of his hometown fans at Saitama Super Arena.

Given Tawanchai's unprecedented excellence in 'The Art of Eight Limbs', it's not surprising he has emerged as the favorite in this five-round contest.

Despite the tough task at hand, the former two-division K-1 champion's confidence remains unshaken.

"I don't know how the fight will play out, but in the end, I have a clear image of myself winning by knockout," Noiri told ONE.

"If Tawanchai is defeated, I think it will shake up the ONE featherweight division," he added.

While Masaaki Noiri acknowledges Tawanchai's status as one of the best strikers in the world, he's not going down without a fight. At ONE 172, the 31-year-old says he's going to shock the world and shake up the pecking order in the 155-pound striking ranks. He added:

"Right now, everyone is wondering who can beat him. The odds are said to be 10-0 or 9-1 against me, but if I can overturn that, it will bring new movement to the division."

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Masaaki Noiri says he's going for the kill against Tawanchai at ONE 172

Beating a calculated striker like Tawanchai across five rounds will be much easier said than done.

Masaki Noiri, however, is confident about his ability to not let this fight go the distance. As soon as a window of opportunity opens, the Japanese slugger promises to go for the jugular.

"That's the case for every fight, but my style is always to aim for the knockout. Since this fight has five rounds, I can use all five rounds to go for the finish, or I can go for the KO right from the start," he told ONE.

Purchase the ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang global pay-per-view exclusively at watch.onefc.com.