"Of course, I want to fight him" - Ilias Ennahachi eying Takeru clash after ONE Friday Fights 81

Former three-time ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Ilias Ennahachi is eager to trade leather with Japanese sensation Takeru Segawa when he puts his ONE Friday Fights 81 assignment in the rear-view mirror.

The Dutch-Moroccan striker resumes his quest on the global stage of the promotion inside Bangkok's legendary Lumpinee Stadium this Friday, September 27. That evening, he makes his bantamweight debut alongside ex-divisional king Hiroki Akimoto.

Speaking of his next target in the promotion, Ilias Ennahachi — who boasts a perfect 4-0 resume heading into fight night — told the South China Morning Post (SCMP):

"Of course, I want to fight him [Takeru]. But not in flyweight. In catchweight, I'm going to fight him. Of course, 100 percent. Maybe after this fight."

As much as he has his radar locked on a dream fight versus 'The Natural Born Crusher,' the S&B Gym star cannot look past his next test.

Akimoto is out for redemption, after slumping to a pair of back-to-back defeats to 'Demon Blade' Wei Rui and Petchtanong Petchfergus. Plus, on paper, the Japanese striking specialist has all the tools needed to see off the 28-year-old.

That said, the Netherlands-based fighter has always looked in top shape whenever he takes to the Circle, and fans can expect another striking clinic from him when he goes toe-to-toe with Akimoto this week.

Watch his entire interview with SCMP here:

ONE Friday Fights 81 will be available via pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.

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Ilias Ennahachi confident he can still beat Superlek

Apart from a remarkable 4-0 run in ONE Championship, Ilias Ennahachi has done what no superstar has managed to do in the organization – beat 'The Kicking Machine' Superlek Kiatmoo9.

They crossed roads in the main event of ONE: Fists of Fury in February 2021, and the Dutch-Moroccan slugger, then the divisional king, walked away with a well-deserved unanimous decision win.

The reigning ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion is certainly looking superhuman at the minute. However, Ennahachi remains confident that he wouldn't have much of a problem taking his rivalry with the Kiatmoo9 Gym to 2-0 if they meet again.

In the same interview with SCMP, he added:

"He's gotten better, 100 percent, because when you win, you [level up]. But I am still going to beat him, 100 percent."