“I carry the emotions of the Japanese fans” - Takeru Segawa aware of the massive pressure he’s under ahead of ONE 165

ONE Championship is returning to Japan on January 28 for the third time in its history as ONE 165 takes place at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

Headlining the card will be Japanese megastar Takeru Segawa challenging Superlek Kiatmoo9 for the ONE flyweight kickboxing world championship.

Originally, Takeru was scheduled to face Rodtang Jitmuangnon, but the Thai star pulled out due to injury which opened the door for his fellow countryman to step up and take his place in the meantime.

For the the world-renowned Japanese star, he has since shared in an interview with ONE Championship that he does feel some pressure a few weeks ahead of the bout:

“Of course, I feel the pressure. I’ll be fighting in Japan. I carry the emotions of the Japanese fans. I need to show the strength of a former K-1 Champion. I definitely have that pressure. This is a fight to determine the best in this weight class, so I want to enjoy this fight, including the pressure.”

He continued:

“ONE has all the best fighters in the world, especially in kickboxing and Muay Thai, so I want to fight there. I want to show everyone the best fight in the world. Please support me.”

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Takeru Segawa’s game-breaking kicks

ONE Championship fans know all too well the power that Superlek possesses, but Takeru also has that in spades, especially with his quick-hitting kicks.

With such high stakes involved come January 28, fans can expect either fighter to go for the highlight-reel finish.

Check your local listings or visit ONE Championship's official website on how to watch ONE 165 from your location. Fans in the United States and Canada can catch the event via pay-per-view on watch.onefc.com.