“I know just how strong he is” - Takeru not surprised by Superlek’s 49-second KO of Jonathan Haggerty in Denver

Japanese kickboxing legend Takeru Segawa was not at all surprised by Superlek's incredible 49-second knockout of Jonathan Haggerty.

Squaring off with 'The General' at ONE 168: Denver, 'The Kicking Machine' caught the former two-division titleholder with a slick inside elbow that immediately sent Haggerty crashing to the canvas.

Unable to recover by the end of the referee's 10 count, the bout was called off less than a minute in and Superlek was crowned the new ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion.

It was another spectacular showing from Superlek, who had already picked up wins against Rodtang Jitmuangnon, Takeru, and Kongthoranee over the last 12 months.

Offering his take on Superlek's impressive showing, 'The Natural Born Crusher' was not the least bit surprised. After all, Takeru already knows a thing or two about Superlek's impeccable precision and power:

"I didn’t think that the fight was going to end that quickly," he told the South China Morning Post. "But since I fought against Superlek in January, I know just how strong he is."

See the interview below:

Takeru went toe-to-toe with 'The Kicking Machine' at ONE 165 in Tokyo. Though the former three-division K-1 champion more than held his own, it was Superlek who came out on top via a unanimous decision courtesy of his brutal lead leg attacks.

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Takeru looks for his first ONE Championship win against Burmese KO artist Thant Zin

After coming up short in his promotional debut, Takeru Segawa will look to climb into the win column this Friday.

Heading to the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, 'The Natural Born Crusher' will square off with Burmese knockout artist Thant Zin at ONE Friday Fights 81.

Making his third appearance for the promotion, the 19-year-old Myanmar native has looked nothing short of impressive, earning back-to-back knockouts against Jaising Sitnayokpansak and Tai Sor Jor Piek Uthai. But with all due respect to those fighters, neither of them are on the level of one of the greatest kickboxers in the history of the sport.

Will Thant Zin shock the world and earn the biggest win of his career thus far, or will Takeru see his hand raised in 'The Land of Smiles' and set the stage for a long-awaited clash with Rodtang or a rematch with 'The Kicking Machine'?

ONE Friday Fights 81 will air live and exclusively on pay-per-view on Friday, Sept. 27 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. You can purchase the event exclusively on the official ONE Championship website.