Takeru Segawa admits feeling the pressure to compete outside of Japan

31-year-old Japanese superstar and multiple-time kickboxing world champion Takeru Segawa has primarily competed only in his native Japan. This has long been among the few criticisms he has faced in his highly accomplished career.

For the first time, a couple of weeks ago, Takeru fought outside of Japan at MTGP Impact’s kickboxing show in Paris, France, and the Japanese star loved it.

In a recent interview with ONE Championship, Takeru described the experience and his feelings heading into the event.

The 31-year-old Japanese stalwart said:

“There was a burning desire to show my strength in a place where no one knows me. In the past, I had the pressure of meeting everyone's expectations and the fear of not being able to afford to lose.”

Takeru will get the chance to showcase his skills on the grandest stage when he makes his ONE Championship debut later this year.

Takeru Segawa made headlines when he announced that he had signed with ONE Championship, the world’s largest martial arts organization. Immediately, fans salivated at the proposition of Japan’s best kickboxer taking on the elite talent in ONE.

There are a ton of great matchups to be had for the 31-year-old veteran and many who could very well give him his toughest tests. But one man, in particular, is who fans want to see Takeru fight, and that is reigning ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang ‘The Iron Man’ Jitmuangnon.

Takeru Segawa and Rodtang have called each other out via social media for the past few months, and now that the Japanese fighter is signed with ONE Championship, the fight is now within the realm of possibility.

Here’s to hoping the powers that be can put this fight together at the soonest possible time.