Takeru Segawa says his KO power left ‘an impression’ in first fight outside of Japan

After building his name as one of the best kickboxers on the planet and becoming a huge star in his native country of Japan, Takeru Segawa took on a new experience last time out.

In a fight that he gives credit for making him fall in love with martial arts and competition all over again, he traveled to Paris, France, to put on a show for the fans in Europe that haven’t seen him compete before.

Whilst he may be one of the biggest names to ever come out of Japan, the 31-year-old knew that he would need to leave a lasting impression on the fans and let them know exactly what he is all about.

He stopped British dynamite Bailey Sugden in the fifth and final round with a head kick. And if they - the fans - didn’t know his name before, they sure do know now.

Understandably, that highlight-reel finish has set him up perfectly for the next stage of his career.

Signing to ONE Championship after years of 'what ifs' and dream fight conversations, Takeru is excited to carry on putting on incredible performances in front of new fans as he takes himself out of his comfort zone.

Looking to replicate what he did in France, the former three-weight K-1 world champion has got big plans for his time competing under the ONE Championship banner.

In an interview with the promotion, he spoke about his mindset going into his clash in Paris and the importance of getting the finish:

“I'm glad. I wanted to show a KO, and I never thought I would lose by decision, but since it was overseas, there were some unknown factors, and I'm not sure what’s going to happen. My main goal was to win and do a backflip in front of the audience, to leave an impression as a fighter named Takeru.”