“I have a wider arsenal” - Underdog Masaaki Noiri banking on his versatility to pull off the upset vs. Tawanchai

Veteran Japanese fighter Masaaki Noiri believes his kickboxing skills is better than Thai superstar Tawanchai PK Saenchai. He is out to prove it in their scheduled title match this month in Japan.

The former K-1 champion will battle ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai for the division's interim kickboxing belt at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang. It is the co-headlining match of the event slated to take place at the Saitama Super Arena.

Speaking to ONE Championship in an interview, Noiri said he is confident of scoring an upset over his world champion opponent, banking on his more diverse kickboxing skills.

He said:

"What do I have over Tawanchai? I think I have a wider arsenal. I have techniques and weapons that Tawanchai doesn’t, and I believe I have a much greater variety of skills. I also have a lot of techniques that he has probably never seen before. I think that will be a key factor in this fight."

Masaaki Noiri enters ONE 172 off a breakthrough win in ONE Championship in his last outing. He knocked out Shakir Al-Tekreeti of Iraq in their kickboxing showdown in January. It came after he lost his first two matches in the promotion.

Tawanchai, meanwhile, seeks to become a two-sport world champion. He has had two matches in kickboxing under ONE, which he both won.

ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang is available live on pay-per-view via watch.onefc.com.

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Masaaki Noiri says he and Takeru perfect to banner ONE Japan event

Masaaki Noiri said ONE Championship made the right decision to have him and Takeru Segawa banner the promotion's latest marquee Japan event. He said they are up for the challenge and are out to give a winning performance in front of their hometown fans.

He shared his thoughts on it in an interview with ONE, highlighting a perfect ending for ONE 172 is having their hands raised in victory.

The 31-year-old Nagoya native said:

"For me, as long as Takeru and I both win, that's enough. If the two of us, Japanese fighters in ONE, can come out victorious together, that would be the best outcome."

Takeru is featured in the headlining match at ONE 172, taking on Thai superstar Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a much-awaited flyweight kickboxing match.

Masaaki Noiri, meanwhile, seeks to add his name to the promotion's roster of champions by vying for the interim featherweight kickboxing belt against the division's Muay Thai king Tawanchai PK Saenchai.