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The jam-packed Impact Arena in Bangkok drowned in a thunderous roar of cheers as veteran Japanese kickboxer Masaaki Noiri reminded everyone why he became a two-division K1 champion.
Noiri expertly delivered no less than a dozen calf kicks to his opponent Shakir Al-Tekreeti's lead leg, with the latter switching back and forth from orthodox to southpaw to minimize the damage.
Al-Tekreeti ultimately ended up leaving the cage on a stretcher.
In an emotional in-cage interview following his victory, Masaaki Noiri expressed his gratitude and joy:
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"I have to be honest, I am very happy that I'm here again today with a win. I know that in the last two fights I didn't get the win, but I still worked hard to come back and got the win today. I'm so happy. Also, thank you to Boss Chatri for giving me this chance to stand on this big stage again."
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Noiri's return to the win column came after a challenging period of back-to-back decision losses. Although the match was on short notice, the Japanese kickboxer stepped up with a show-stopping production that earned him a memorable first win on the world stage of ONE Championship.
"I would love to be on that fight card" - Masaaki Noiri eyes spot on ONE 172 in Japan following KO of Shakir Al-Tekreeti
Now that he has regained his momentum, Noiri is determined to keep it going and get straight back into the action. In the post-fight interview with ONE commentator Mitch Chilson, Noiri shared his thoughts on the upcoming ONE 172, which is set to take place in his home country of Japan:
"Of course, in ONE 172, the big event in Japan, I would love to be on that fight card. But when it comes to my opponent, I know that once I signed with ONE Championship, my goal is the ONE featherweight belt. But today, I just made one win. So, anyone would work. I just want to show a fight that would connect me to that belt."
In a post made on Masaaki Noiri's Instagram, it seems the veteran kickboxer got what he wished for:
Fight fans can replay the action on watch.onefc.com.
