"I absolutely couldn't afford to lose" - Masaaki Noiri says he left it all on the line in ferocious finish of Shakir El-Tekreeti

Japanese striking wizard Masaaki Noiri recently revealed that his previous fight against Shaki El-Tekreeti on January 2024 at ONE 170 would determine the future of his professional career.

According to Noiri, had he suffered another defeat, he would have probably hung up the gloves right there and then, which is why he left no stones unturned during the match.

He shared this with ONE Championship in a recent interview:

"That fight in January... how should I put it? It was a match I absolutely couldn't afford to lose-there was not turning back."

The former two-division K-1 champion thoroughly explained his thought process during that fight, as he continued:

"It came after the first-ever two consecutive losses in my fighting career, so I went into the fight thinking that I had nothing left to lose, but if I were to lose, it would be over for me. At first, I was a bit stiff and couldn't fully show my usual style. However, as I listened to my cornermen and got into the fight, I started to fight like myself."

Eventually, Masaaki Noiri secured a second-round knockout finish over his opposite number to pick up his inaugural win under the world's largest martial arts organization.

Now, the Japanese star is ready to take on Tawanchai PK Saenchai on March 23 at ONE 172 for the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

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Masaaki Noiri says that he has finally acclimated himself to ONE Championship after win over Shakir Al-Tekreeti

During his first two fights under the promotion, Noiri experienced a bit of jitter on his end, which became a factor in his defeats at the hands of Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and Liu Mengyang.

But now, he claims that he has fully adjusted himself to the environment and intensity of competition in ONE Championship, as he said during an interview with the promotion:

"In my last fight, I competed in a cage, and I'm getting used to fighting in that environment. So I think I can finally show the ONE version of Masaaki Noiri."

Fans can purchase the ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang PPV card via watch.onefc.com. The exciting card will take place inside the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on March 23.