“Gave me another reason to live as a fighter” - Japanese superstar Takeru spearheads his school’s opening in Vietnam

Takeru Segawa continued to prove that he's a champion not just in sport, but in life.

The Japanese kickboxing legend recently flew to Vietnam to spearhead the school opening he funded through his fight purse from his last ONE Championship appearance.

It wasn't just Takeru's gesture, though; it was also part of his responsibilities as the Seventh Generation Tiger Mask.

Taking to Instagram, Takeru wrote he was glad to see the children in the rural district of Lam Binh in Vietnam enjoying their new facilities.

Takeru wrote that watching the kids learn and play in a safe environment filled him with a unique sense of fulfillment.

Takeru said:

"I went to Lam Binh County, Vietnam for the opening ceremony of the school I built with my fight money 🏫 I hope that the children who couldn't go to school until now will be able to study and exercise a lot from now on, find what they want to do at this school, and spend their time happily working towards their dreams."

He added:

"It seems that it was also their first time to have a sports day and have school lunch, and I was happy that they were happy 🏃‍♂️🍖 Seeing the children having fun at the school I built gave me another reason to live as a fighter."

Takeru promised to donate the fight purse he received when he fought Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a flyweight kickboxing super fight at ONE 172 in March at the historic Saitama Super Arena.

Despite the defeat, Takeru kept his vow and gave the kids a second home to learn at.

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Takeru Segawa says ONE 172 showcase marked a special night in Japanese martial arts

Japan will always be one of the most sacred countries in the world of combat sports, and ONE Championship's spectacle this past March was a fitting homage to the nation's history.

Takeru said that ONE 172 was a huge night for Japanese martial arts, and he thanked ONE Championship for giving his fellow fighters the grand stage to compete on.

In the card's post-event press conference, Takeru said:

"That’s the best thing I can say, I really really appreciate that [ONE 172] was held in Japan, and all the Japanese fans who were able to see all the fighters from around the world that we usually cannot get to see."