- George Chung
- Sep 23, 2024
- 2 min read
Japanese kickboxing sensation Takeru Segawa is set to put it all on the line at ONE Friday Fights 81. The star fighter will face Burmese knockout artist Thant Zin in a high-stakes clash at Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium on September 27. For Takeru, this fight could make or break his quest for the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Title.
After a hard-fought, five-round battle that saw him lose by unanimous decision to divisional champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 in his ONE debut, Takeru is determined to make a comeback. Speaking to ONE FC, he expressed his sense of urgency:
"This is my comeback fight and my second ONE fight, so I really want my first win in ONE. Regardless of who the opponent is, I just need to win so I can get back to the position to fight Superlek or Rodtang [Jitmuangnon]."
Takeru, who joined ONE with the goal of proving himself as the strongest fighter in the world, knows that losing two consecutive fights would be disastrous for his title hopes.
On the other side, 19-year-old Thant Zin has built strong momentum, with two knockout victories under his belt since joining ONE Championship. A win over the seasoned Takeru would significantly boost his rising career.
Takeru is fully aware of the threat Zin poses, particularly the young fighter’s raw power and aggressive lethwei style. But he sees this as an opportunity to turn the tide in his favor:
"He’s the type to throw full-swing punches with a lot of power in single shots. Being from lethwei, he has physical strength and throws each punch with a clenched fist, so I need to be cautious of that," Takeru remarked. "He’s a young fighter, so he’ll have momentum. I’ll be careful of that while sticking to my own fighting style. Since he’s an aggressive type, I want to win by KO."
Fans have been eagerly awaiting a showdown between Takeru and ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon since Takeru signed with ONE in 2023. However, to make that dream matchup happen, Takeru knows he needs to deliver a spectacular performance at ONE Friday Fights 81.
“I need to keep showing that I’m worthy of being a ONE World Champion until I get there, so I will definitely win this next fight,” Takeru said, adding, “There’s no next if I don’t win. I came to ONE to fight Rodtang and prove I’m the strongest in the world by beating him, so I need to win this fight to get there. I need to win in a way that’s worthy of that goal.”
Catch all the action live from ONE Friday Fights 81 on Friday, September 27, on watch.onefc.com starting at 8:30 a.m. ET / 5:30 a.m. PT.
