FREE FULL FIGHT: Hiroki Akimoto unleashes his Kyokushin Karate style of striking in captivating world title win over Capitan

Kyokushin Karate black belter Hiroki Akimoto showcased the effectiveness of his striking style when he challenged then-ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion Capitan Petchyindee at ONE X in March 2022.

Fresh off a successful defense of the 145-pound kickboxing crown against the legendary Mehdi Zatout in September 2021, Capitan sought to overwhelm the Japanese star with his Muay Thai-centric offense.

In response, Akimoto relied on his speed to catch Capitan off-guard throughout the bout, ultimately giving him the unanimous decision victory and his first-ever ONE world championship.

Watch the entire fight ONE posted on YouTube below:

Akimoto's stunning upset over the Thai star marked his sixth victory in seven outings under the ONE banner, further proving that his karate background is one to be wary of.

However, WBC and WMC Muay Thai world champion Petchtanong Petchfergus concocted the perfect game plan to counter Akimoto's style. As a result, he dethroned the Evolve MMA star via split decision in November 2022.

Following his loss to Wei Rui this past May, Akimoto has his sights set on a victory over Ilias Ennahachi at ONE Friday Fights 81 on Friday, Sept. 27, inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Hiroki Akimoto raring to showcase improvements at ONE Friday Fights 81

Hiroki Akimoto has prepared accordingly for Ilias Ennahachi, who once held the ONE flyweight kickboxing world championship, ahead of ONE Friday Fights 81 on Sept. 27, inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Akimoto said:

"I think I've changed in many ways overall. I've been practicing various things for this fight, but I've also corrected parts that I couldn't fully show in the last fight."

ONE Friday Fights 81 is available live at Asian primetime on pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.