'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Hiroki Akimoto is set to make his epic return and restart his march back to the world title picture.
The former ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion will face former K-1 Kickboxing world champion Wei Rui at ONE Fight Night 22 on May 3 at the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
ONE Championship announced the Japanese star's return fight on Instagram:
Trending
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
"Former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Hiroki Akimoto makes his highly anticipated return as he welcomes Chinese superstar Wei Rui at ONE Fight Night 22 on @PrimeVideo! Who you got? @hiro_a_16"
Hiroki Akimoto is considered one of the best Japanese strikers of his generation, and the former bantamweight kickboxing king holds an impressive 6-2 record in ONE Championship.
The 31-year-old striker is also often regarded as one of the best proponents of the Kyosushin karate style, which emphasizes full-on power and precision.
Wei, meanwhile, won the K-1 World Grand Prix Lightweight Championship Tournament in 2017 and became the promotion's lightweight world champion. The 32-year-old from Henan is also the first Chinese fighter to capture gold in the prestigious K-1 Kickboxing promotion.
ONE Fight Night 22 will also feature ONE women's strawweight Muay Thai world champion Smilla Sundell defending her gold against knockout merchant Natalia Diachkova in the main event.
The entire card is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
Jonathan Haggerty says Hiroki Akimoto deserves a shot at bantamweight kickboxing gold
Hiroki Akimoto might not need to wait long to reclaim his throne.
Jonathan Haggerty, the reigning ONE bantamweight kickboxing and Muay Thai world champion, believes Akimoto should get a shot at the world title he once held.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Hagerty said:
"He deserves to have the next shot at the kickboxing world title, and yeah, just know that when we are coming together, I'll be well prepared."
Akimoto captured the bantamweight kickboxing strap when he beat Capitan Petchyindee in one of the best matches of ONE X in March 2022.
