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Masaaki Noiri's incredible technical knockout of Tawanchai at ONE 172 was all part of the plan.
Riding into the Saitama Super Arena as a massive underdog, the former two-division K-1 titleholder shocked the world, securing a third-round finish over Tawanchai to claim the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world championship.
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Looking back on his shocking victory, Noiri admits that winning via decision was his goal, but he had a plan in place to try and keep the judges out of it.
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Needless to say, Noiri's plan worked like a charm against the reigning ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion.
"I was aiming for a win by decision," Noiri said in an interview with My Navi News. "But I also knew I had a plan to keep the judges' duties easier. There were times during camp that I knew I could pull it off, and I'm glad it worked."
It was an impressive performance from the Japanese star, but he'll have to be even better if he hopes to turn his interim title into undisputed gold later this year.
Masaaki Noiri isn't rushing into a title unification fight with Superbon
Masaaki Noiri's defeat of Tawanchai has set the stage for a title unification clash with reigning ONE featherweight kickboxing world titleholder Superbon.
No official details regarding their inevitable showdown have been announced, but for now, Noiri is content to sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of his labor.
"I don't really want to think about it right now," Noiri said when asked about a fight with Superbon. "I know that fight will come, but for now, I want to relax. But whatever that comes along, when the venue and the opponent is confirmed, I'll be prepared to fight again."
Are you excited to see Noiri square off with Superbon later this year? More importantly, who comes out on top when the two P4P greats meet on martial arts' biggest global stage?
If you missed any of the action, you can watch the full ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang replay on demand via watch.onefc.com.
