Masaaki Noiri says pressure is on Tawanchai's end in interim world title war at ONE 172: "I have nothing to lose"

Japanese striking sensation Masaaki Noiri claims that he doesn't feel any pressure ahead of his ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title match against Tawanchai PK Saenchai on March 23 at ONE 172.

This is despite the fact that he will be fighting in front of a packed Saitama Super Arena crowd, which will consist mostly of his Japanese compatriots.

Masaaki Noiri spoke with ONE Championship before the fight and proclaimed that he has nothing to lose heading into the championship bout:

"On the other hand, I have nothing to lose, and if I win, it would be considered a huge upset. So, I think that slight sense of complacency on his part could be a major factor in this fight."

The former K-1 world champion punched his ticket to this match with Tawanchai with a devastating second-round knockout win over Shakir Al-Tekreeti last January at ONE 170.

It was his first-ever triumph under the promotion since inking a deal in June 2024 and after suffering back-to-back losses in his first two outings.

---

Beating Shakir El-Tekreeti made Masaaki Noiri feel like he belonged on the global stage

Speaking of his win over Shakir El-Tekreeti, the 31-year-old contender felt that he truly belonged among the best athletes in the world because he finally picked up a win on the global stage.

This was also a good boost of morale ahead of his first-ever crack at the coveted 26-pound golden belt. Noiri shared this thought during his pre-fight interview with ONE Championship by saying:

"Getting a win finally made me feel like I had truly become part of ONE. I finally felt like I could proudly call myself a ONE fighter and stand at the real starting line."

Fans can purchase the ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang PPV card via watch.onefc.com. The event will take place at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on March 23.