"It's really heavy" - Hiroki Akimoto on the new ONE Championship title belt

At ONE X, Hiroki Akimoto went to war with the defending champion Capitan. The kickboxing title fight was one of the best fights in the history of combat sports. Ultimately, Akimoto was successfully able to take the title from Capitan in an instant classic.

After the championship rounds had concluded, Japan's Hiroki Akimoto met with reporters at the post-fight press conference to discuss not only his new gold, but ONE's fresh title design. Through a translator, he said:

"It's really heavy. It shows that this is valuable. That this [belt] is the barrier and as a champion I need to defend as much as I can and then the belt is getting heavier."

Catch the interaction below:

“Heavy is the head that wears the crown,” as Shakespere said. Being a champion is not easy and the Japanese-born champion is already focused on defending his new title.

Hiroki Akimoto also elaborated on how he felt the fight with former champion Capitan went and what it meant for him to earn a $50,000 bonus:

"The champion was very tough. But I really wanted to beat the champion... People say this is the best [fight] so far tonight, I am very happy... The performance bonus is not something to get easily... Appreciate everyone."

---

Hiroki Akimoto thanks team and fans after the fight

Once the belt was on him after the victory, Akimoto simply, "Believe." He also made sure to thank his team, coaching staff and fans on Instagram, saying:

"Thank you for all your support! Believe in the coach's words, Believe in the words of your teammates. The team has reached this point. I can still be strong! We will continue to evolve to make this belt shine even more... I believe in myself, my coach, and my teammate. Thank you so much."

After the match, Akimoto told his coach that the win was dedicated to him:

"The coach was really persistent every day, that I can become the champion. "

After returning home, it was a family focus for the new champion. He spent time with his mother, who was present at the fight, and went home to share his victory with his daughter.