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It doesn’t take much for Takeru Segawa to be motivated for upcoming matches, especially if there’s gold on the line.
The Japanese icon will make his highly anticipated ONE Championship debut against ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 in the main event of ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru.
Takeru’s debut match goes down this January 28 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
‘The Natural Born Crusher’ first came face-to-face with Superlek at the card’s press conference this past week, and the Thai megastar’s mere presence served as enough motivation for Takeru.
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He told the media present during the event:
“He is a fighter who has taken the ONE Championship belt, and I felt a strong aura from him. I sensed strength in his eyes, and meeting him has increased my anticipation for the match.”
Takeru was initially scheduled to take on Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a non-title kickboxing super fight, but the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion pulled out due to injury.
Superlek gladly accepted the main event spot in Tokyo in what could be a Fight of the Year candidate.
Takeru feels the pressure in his first fight with ONE Championship
Takeru Segawa is arguably the biggest free agent signing in 2023, and his arrival in ONE Championship quickly shifted the combat sports landscape.
The kickboxing legend is the only three-division world champion in K-1 kickboxing history, and Takeru feels he needs to be as close to perfect as possible when he faces Superlek in Tokyo.
In an interview with ONE Championship, he said:
“Of course, I feel the pressure. I’ll be fighting in Japan. I carry the emotions of the Japanese fans. I need to show the strength of a former K-1 Champion. I definitely have that pressure. This is a fight to determine the best in this weight class, so I want to enjoy this fight, including the pressure.”
Takeru added:
“ONE has all the best fighters in the world, especially in kickboxing and Muay Thai, so I want to fight there. I want to show everyone the best fight in the world. Please support me.”
