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The ONE 165 headliner between Superlek Kiatmoo9 and Takeru Segawa is a massive home run for ONE Championship. The promotion nailed an absolute bull’s eye when it paired Superlek and Takeru for its Japanese return this Sunday at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.
Superlek will defend his ONE flyweight kickboxing world title against Takeru in the card’s main event after Rodtang Jitmuangnon withdrew from the card due to injury.
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Takeru was supposed to face the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion in a kickboxing super-fight, but a match against Superlek could become an even bigger storyline for the former three-division K-1 Kickboxing world champion.
Before ONE 165 goes down live on pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com, Sportskeeda MMA’s ONE Championship team gave their unbiased opinion and predictions for the upcoming Tokyo mega fight.
James De Rozario: Superlek by unanimous decision
These two strikers guarantee action and entertainment. With so much on the line and the hype behind the stellar card, predicting a victor in this headline attraction is as if we’re looking for a needle in a haystack.
Superlek has been in the form of his life. He’s taken out everyone standing across him over the past couple of years. If his lead leg doesn’t do the trick, his uppercuts come into play. If that fails, his mean body shots can leave anyone folded like a lawn chair.
On the flip side, Takeru’s focus has been hell-bent on perfecting his dream debut. Though Rodtang’s injury momentarily threw him off, he probably has an even better dance partner on fight night.
The Japanese talent has hands for days, and he will definitely keep Superlek well-informed about his primary weapon.
Unfortunately, I see Superlek’s kicking game being the main focus of this fight. It will help him slow down Takeru, and he can use it to set himself up for damaging combinations upstairs on his way to a decisive win on the scorecards.
Mike Murillo: Superlek by technical knockout
What a way to mark ONE Championship’s return to Japan. Two world champion kickboxers in the headlining contest. To be honest, it is hard to pick a winner between two fight icons. But just the same, I am going Superlek here by way of TKO in the championship rounds.
I say Superlek because he has been the busier fighter between the two with ONE 165 his sixth fight in the last 13 months. We have seen how ‘The Kicking Machine’ was dominant throughout 2023, besting every fighter who stood in his way, including Rodtang.
He was presented with different looks, with little turnaround time yet he overcame all of them in convincing fashion. That would surely come into play against Takeru.
Of course, I expect Takeru to put up a spirited challenge with those potent kicks of his. He is also a kickboxing legend fighting in front of the hometown crowd.
Still, in the end, I see the reigning flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek landing telling strikes, presumably elbows, to finish Takeru and get the win.
Ted Razon: Superlek by split decision
This epic striking showdown may just very well be the continuation of the Rodtang-Superlek three-round war last year.
After all, Takeru implores the same berserker mindset as ‘The Iron Man’, and he’ll gladly enter the line of fire just to get his hits in. Plus, the case can be made that the Japanese superstar has better and faster hands.
The challenger’s vast experience in the highest level of kickboxing, paired with the crowd support from his hometown fans, should allow Takeru to get off to a fast start.
He may even tag Superlek with his sharp combos early on, especially since the Thai star usually starts slow to get a read on his opponents.
However, there’s a reason why Superlek is considered the best in the world. Once he lets his deadly kicking game go, it’s going to be a long night for Takeru.
Superlek should methodically chop down the aggressive Japanese fighter and piece him out with leg and body shots from a safe distance.
Those hits add up, especially if this goes the full five rounds. Takeru is as tough as nails and has only been stopped once in 46 career bouts.
I see him weathering those shots and making it to the final horn. However, Superlek’s volume, precise counters, and mastery of angles should grant him a close decision victory in the end.
Vince Richards: Superlek by split decision
Now this is a proper scrap.
Superlek and Takeru are two of the biggest names in Muay Thai and kickboxing, respectively, and the two megastars will certainly put on an absolute barnburner in Tokyo.
The Thai superstar is coming off, arguably, the biggest win of his career when he beat fellow Thai icon Rodtang in September 2023.
Takeru, meanwhile, captured the vacant ISKA and KGP K-1 lightweight titles in his last outing in June 2023 against Bailey Sugden.
Although Superlek had a more recent fight than Takeru, I don’t see ring rust playing a part in this encounter. What matters the most, though, is the fight’s most basic aspect—who hits harder.
This fight will be as close as possible, and I won’t be surprised if this one ends in a split decision.
Superlek and Takeru are aggressive headhunters, but they also have incredible fortitude that a knockout is practically impossible.
With neither fighter going down to the canvas, this fight will become an absolute barnburner of epic offensive proportions.
Takeru is faster than Superlek, but ‘The Kicking Machine’ believes he packs the more venomous power behind his strikes. That slight strength advantage could become crucial for Superlek as he takes this match by split decision.
