Takeru “The Natural Born Crusher” Segawa says losing simply isn’t an option in his flyweight kickboxing battle against Thant Zin on September 27 at ONE Friday Fights 81: Superbon vs. Nattawut.
That matchup will go down live in Asia primetime at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium and will mark the decorated Japanese superstar’s second appearance in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
Takeru made his hotly anticipated ONE debut this past January in the main event of ONE 165, dropping a hard-fought decision against current two-sport, two-weight ONE World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 in one of the year’s most electrifying fights.
For his sophomore outing, the 33-year-old was originally slated to face local hero Black Panther. But when the Thai was forced to withdraw due to injury, 19-year-old Myanmar phenom Thant Zin stepped up on short notice.
Takeru admits that the switch of opponent caused a bit of a hitch in his training camp, but it hasn’t affected his unwavering motivation to fight against ONE’s upper echelon and prove he’s the planet’s best overall striker.
He told onefc.com:
“Of course, it has an impact when the opponent changes a month before the fight, as it changes all the preparations and strategies.
“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].”
While “The Natural Born Crusher” has his sights set on a rematch with Superlek or a showdown with ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang, he is not looking past Thant Zin.
Quite the opposite – Takeru knows the teenage knockout artist will present a dangerous challenge given his show-stopping power and unique background in the bare-knuckle style of lethwei:
“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.
“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.”
For his part, Thant Zin will enter this bout following back-to-back knockout victories at ONE Friday Fights, announcing himself as a legitimately elite talent.
Takeru, though, will bring an unbreakable spirit that he believes sets him apart from even the world’s toughest fighters.
If his gutsy, gritty performance against Superlek was any indication, it’s fair to say he might be the hardest kickboxer on the planet to put away.
The Japanese megastar explained his incredible willpower in the face of adversity:
“Since the beginning, I’ve approached fights not just as sports matches, but with the resolve to fight for my life. So even in the last fight, whether bones break or muscles tear, I fight with the mindset that the one who knocks out the other wins.
“My resolve for fights is different from other fighters. I’ve always fought with the mindset that losing means it’s over, so I want to fight desperately to grab the win.”
Takeru Determined To Rejoin ONE World Title Picture
As a former three-division K-1 World Champion and an ISKA Kickboxing World Champion, Takeru Segawa has little left to prove in the striking arts. Still, he knows his clash against Thant Zin at ONE Friday Fights 81 is an absolute must-win.
Despite his jam-packed trophy case and countless accolades outside of the organization, he has no plans of stopping until he reaches his ultimate goal – 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold:
“I joined ONE to aim for being the strongest in the world, so I really want this win. To fight at the top, I absolutely can’t lose two in a row after losing the last one.
“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.”
Following his loss to Superlek – a man widely regarded as the world’s top pound-for-pound striker – Takeru feels his back is against the wall.
He was originally booked to face long-reigning flyweight Muay Thai king Rodtang in his promotional debut, and he’s still hungry to make that fight happen.
First, though, he’ll have to get past the hard-hitting Thant Zin and would love nothing more than to emerge victorious in spectacular fashion:
“There’s no next if I don’t win. That’s what I’ve always thought. 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.”
