“I wouldn’t mind that fight” - Denis Puric down for Takeru showdown after he’s settled things with Rodtang

Denis Puric would love to step inside the Circle with Japanese kickboxing star Takeru Segawa — once he takes care of a bit of business with Rodtang Jitmuangnon.

Sitting as the No.2-ranked contender in the flyweight Muay Thai division, 'The Bosnian Menace' is all but guaranteed a shot at reigning champion Rodtang in the future.

That is his top priority, understandably. But once that business is taken care of, Puric would like to test his skills against one of the greatest pound-for-pound kickboxers on the planet.

"Well I want a title shot [or] whatever ONE Championship wants," Puric told Sportskeeda MMA. "I know Rodtang and Takeru, I guess, they going to go at it soon. And I wouldn't mind that fight with Takeru as well. I just don’t know when that can happen because, you know, he's got a fight coming up with Rodtang maybe."

Puric recently got a taste of what it was like to fight Rodtang, squaring off with 'The Iron Man' at ONE 167 inside the sold-out Impact Arena in Bangkok.

Though Puric came up short in the catchweight kickboxing clash, his performance was more than enough to justify a shot at 'The Iron Man's' Muay Thai gold. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen.

If you missed any of the action, ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch the ONE 167 replay on demand via Amazon Prime Video.

---

Rodtang calls for a 2024 clash with Takeru following his win at ONE 167.

The ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion has not yet booked another fight for 2024, but all signs currently point toward him returning later this year for a long-awaited showdown with Takeru.

The two were originally scheduled to scrap at ONE 165 in Tokyo, but 'The Iron Man' was forced out of the fight due to an injury.

Instead, Superlek stepped in and landed an impressive unanimous decision victory over 'The Natural Born Crusher' on enemy territory.

Following his win over Denis Puric at ONE 167, the Jitmuangnon Gym athlete called for a fight with Takeru during his post-fight interview, telling Mitch Chilson:

“I want to fight Takeru. You ready? Takeru, let’s go."

Are you ready to see two of combat sports' greatest strikers finally step inside the Circle and settle the debate that fight fans have been having for years?