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Superlek Kiatmoo9 has kept a close eye on K-1 kickboxing legend Takeru Segawa from the moment he announced his signing with ONE Championship.
In April 2023, ‘The Natural Born Crusher’ made the blockbuster announcement that he has inked a deal with ONE to put his skills to the test against the best strikers in the world.
Nine months later, fight fans will get their first glimpse of Takeru inside the Circle.
This Sunday, January 28, the three-division K-1 titleholder will make his promotional debut against one of combat sports’ most dangerous fighters, known to his legion of fans as ‘The Kicking Machine.’
Superlek will put his ONE flyweight kickboxing world championship on the line in the highly anticipated main event emanating from Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.
Speaking with ONE Championship ahead of their clash at ONE 165, Superlek revealed that he has been keeping watch on Takeru, anticipating the day they would inevitably cross paths.
“I've followed him before,” he said. “At that time there were two very successful kickboxers, Tenshin and Takeru, and I kept following them until one day I saw him [Takeru] appear on ONE Championship. And I found out that he fights in the same division as me. So I started to watch him closely.”
Superlek faces Takeru after competing in one of Muay Thai’s greatest fights
2023 was Superlek’s best year yet. He competed an incredible five times, earning noteworthy victories over Daniel Puertas, Daniel Williams, and Tagir Khalilov.
However, none were bigger than his Fight of the Year with fellow ONE world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon.
Squaring off at ONE Friday Fights 34 in September, ‘The Kicking Machine’ and ‘The Iron Man’ delivered one of the greatest Muay Thai fights in the history of the art of eight limbs.
After three intense rounds of non-stop action, Superlek came out on top via unanimous decision, moving him to 9-0 in Muay Thai.
Armed with supreme confidence, having taken out one of the greatest fighters in Muay Thai, he’ll look to add a world-class kickboxer to his resume in The Land of the Rising Sun.
ONE 165 airs live on Sunday, January 28, via global pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.
