“You gotta be in good shape” - Denis Puric expects Rodtang to be at his absolute best in gargantuan showdown with Takeru

Denis Puric says Rodtang Jitmuangnon cannot afford any lapses and distractions against his next dangerous opponent, Takeru Segawa.

A dream striking match-up for the ages will finally happen in the main event of ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang, inside the fabled halls of Japan's Saitama Super Arena on March 23.

Puric lost to Rodtang in their catchweight kickboxing contest at ONE 167 last year. However, it is worth noting that 'The Iron Man' came in 3.5 pounds above the flyweight limit in that fight after returning from a hand injury.

Given the gravity of this five-round kickboxing battle, Puric said the Thai megastar must be at his physical best to avoid an upset against 'The Natural Born Crusher'.

'The Bosnian Menace' shared in a Sportskeeda MMA Exclusive:

"It's easier to move around when you're lighter [than] when you’re big and heavy. Trust me. I was heavy last fight, so you see me gas out dying. You gotta be in good shape. I think Rodtang will be fine. He's gonna start pressuring. I just want to see it. Can't wait to see it, man."

Don’t miss ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang, which will air live on pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.

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Denis Puric curious to see if Takeru lives up to the hype against Rodtang

On paper, Takeru's aggressive and in-your-face style is indeed a mirror image to Rodtang's chaotic way of fighting.

Given the pair's penchant for figuring in all-out brawls, fans and pundits alike believe this match will be an early Fight of the Year contender.

Denis Puric, meanwhile, is eager to witness if the Japanese superstar can really hang with the mayhem that the former flyweight Muay Thai world champion brings.

'The Bosnian Menace' told Sportskeeda MMA:

"I'm super excited to see the fight, because I want to see how he (Takeru) performs. It's one thing hitting the pads and looking good on camera. I better see you perform. I want to see how he performs."