FREE FULL FIGHT: Japanese karate master Hiroki Akimoto overcomes China's Zhang Chenglong in tense Singapore showdown

ONE bantamweight kickboxing star Hiroki Akimoto brought out his entire arsenal in his October 2020 bout with Zhang Chenglong at ONE: Reign of Dynasties II.

The Japanese karate master and Zhang traded heavy blows and vicious combos throughout their three-round battle. Thanks to his well-timed counters and ring generalship though, Akimoto was awarded the split decision victory.

Rewatch the entire bout below, which ONE posted on YouTube:

Akimoto left no doubt in their February 2021 rematch as he overwhelmed the Shengli Fight Club product to win by unanimous decision. He followed it with a triumphant outing over Qiu Jianliang in December that same year.

In March 2022 at ONE X, Akimoto shockingly dethroned then-ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion Capitan Petchyindee. However, the Evolve MMA star dropped the 145-pound kickboxing crown to Petchtanong Petchfergus in November 2022 and came up short in his most recent fight this past May against Wei Rui.

Akimoto will look to return to the win column by defeating former ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Ilias Ennahachi at ONE Friday Fights 81 on September 27 inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Hiroki Akimoto prepared to go all-out at ONE Friday Fights 81

Hiroki Akimoto wants to become a ONE world champion again but knows he cannot look past Ilias Ennahachi at ONE Friday Fights 81 on September 27 inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

In a recent interview with the South China Morning Post, the 32-year-old kickboxing star said:

"It's a very important match to becoming champion again. He's [Ennahachi] really good and I think it will be a fast and powerful fight - so please look forward to it."

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