“Kickboxing suits my style better” - Rodtang unfazed by Takeru’s experience edge when it comes to kickboxing

Kickboxing may not be the traditional lane of Thai superstar Rodtang Jitmuangnon but he is confident that his striking game can hold its own against Japanese legend Takeru Segawa in their marquee showdown this week.

'The Iron Man' battles 'The Natural Born Krusher' in a much-awaited flyweight kickboxing showdown at ONE 172 on March 23. It is the headlining contest of the event, happening at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

It is a realization of a long-planned event, which was initially set for last year also in the 'Land of the Rising Sun' until it was scrapped with the Jitmuangnon Gym standout withdrawing because of a hand injury.

Speaking to ONE Championship ahead of his scheduled return to action, Rodtang spoke about his kickboxing game and how it stacks up against that of former K-1 champion Takeru.

The 27-year-old Phattalung native said:

"Takeru has more experience in kickboxing than me, but I have competed in many kickboxing matches. And kickboxing suits my style better because I don't like to use elbows or knees. I like to use punches and kicks."

Entering ONE 172, Rodtang is coming off a decision victory over British striker Jacob Smith back in November. It was a match for the flyweight Muay Thai world title, which was stripped from him after he missed weight in the lead-up, leaving Smith as the lone eligible to claim it with a victory.

Takeru, for his part, scored his first victory in ONE Championship last September, knocking out rising Burmese star Thant Zi in the second round of their flyweight kickboxing joust. The win was a bounce-back for the 33-year-old Yonago City native after losing in his promotional debut in January last year.

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

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Rodtang out for redemption at ONE 172

Apart from bragging rights a win at ONE 172 will provide, Rodtang Jitmuangnon is looking to get the better of fellow martial arts icon Takeu Segawa to redeem himself from what happened in his last fight where he was stripped of the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world title he long held.

He made this known in an interview with ONE Championship, highlighting how it was a tough development not only for him but also for his family.

The Thai superstar said:

"If I happen to win this time, this victory will be for my family. When I missed weight and got my belt taken away, of course, the first reaction was I cried. All of the emotions, once it happened, I couldn’t go back to fix anything."

ONE 172 will mark the fourth time that Rodtang will be competing in kickboxing under ONE Championship. He won all of his previous three matches by decision, the last one in June last year over Bosnian-Canadian fighter Denis Puric.