ONE 173: THROWBACK: Masaaki Noiri shatters opponent’s leg in two places with bone-crunching low kick

Japanese kickboxing star Masaaki Noiri had a rough start to his ONE Championship journey, losing his first two matches last year. He, however, broke through with a win in his third fight, and he did it devastatingly.

The venue was at ONE 170 in January this year in Bangkok, Thailand. He steadily chopped down Iraqi opponent Shakir Al-Tekreeti with powerful kicks, culminating in one blow 14 seconds into the second round, which shattered the right leg of the Baghdad-born fighter and left the latter unable to continue.

The KO win halted the two-fight skid that Noiri had to start his ONE campaign, where he lost to Thai Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and Chinese Liu Mengyang, in that order, last year, both by decision.

ONE Championship posted the sequence when Masaaki Noiri uncorked the telling low kick that stopped Al-Tekreeti in an Instagram post for fans to relive.

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Masaaki Noir followed up on the impressive KO win with another stoppage victory in March, defeating Thai superstar Tawanchai PK Saenchai by TKO in the third round to win the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title.

The 32-year-old former K-1 champion now looks to become the undisputed champion in the featherweight division when he takes on reigning divisional king Superbon in the headlining unification bout at ONE 173 on Nov. 16 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Masaaki Noiri confident of beating Superbon at ONE 173

Masaaki Noiri is undeterred by the standing of Superbon as world champion and is confident of defeating the Thai superstar in their scheduled unification title match at ONE 173 in November.

He highlighted it following their intense stare down at ONE Friday Fights 116 in July, sharing that while he is up against a top-caliber fighter, it is not stopping him from realizing his goal of becoming the undisputed ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion.

Masaaki Noiri said in the interview inside the ring:

"I'm going to fight the best in the world, Superbon. I have a belt, but this is the interim champion belt."

The Team Vasileus standout added:

"So, I will beat the best, Superbon, and I will be the official world champion of this division."

For more information and updates on ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri, follow Sportskeeda MMA and ONE Championship.

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Michael Murillo is a journalist who covers basketball and MMA at Sportskeeda with over two decades of experience. Michael has contributed as a proofreader, columnist and journalist for the Philippine broadsheet BusinessWorld.

A graduate of the University of the Philippines with a degree in English Studies, basketball caught Michael's imagination from an early age. Varsity basketball helped Michael to express himself, and later, it opened doors into the world of journalism.

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Edited by Himakshu Vyas