Takeru Segawa put everything into beating Rodtang Jitmuangnon. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough.
After years of waiting and debating, fight fans were finally treated to one of the most highly anticipated clashes in combat sports history at ONE 172 in Japan.
The Team Vasileus superstar, a former three-division K-1 champion, stepped inside the ring for a showdown with former ONE flyweight Muay Thai world titleholder Rodtang — the winner leaving with a load of bragging rights and one of the biggest wins of their career.
In the end, it only took 'The Iron Man' 80 seconds to put his foe to sleep on the mat with a vicious left hook.
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Unable to climb back to his feet, the fight was over, and the Japanese warrior's dream had been dashed. Looking back on the brief bout during Sunday's ONE 172 post-fight press conference, Takeru said:
"To be honest, like I always told—today’s fight was everything to me".
Takeru added:
"And I didn’t have any plans afterwards. I was ready to fight with Rodtang to the maximum of my abilities. And I prepared for it. And as a result, I feel disappointed."
Takeru isn't retiring just yet
With Takeru Segawa putting everything into his clash with Rodtang Jitmuangnon, it was unclear if the Japanese superstar was planning to retire following the fight, win or lose.
On being asked for an update on his future after the event, the Japanese athlete revealed that he's not quite ready to make a decision. However, it does sound like 'The Natural Born Crusher' has a bit more to show inside the Circle:
"I’m not sure if I had shown enough of everything I prepared. So, at this moment, it’s not the right time to think or decide what to do next. Another time, I’d like to announce officially."
If this isn't the end for 'Natural Born Krusher', who would you like to see the former K-1 star face next?
If you missed any of the action, you can watch the full ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang replay on demand via watch.onefc.com.
