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Japanese kickboxing superstar Takeru Segawa is getting closer to his ONE Championship debut when he will face Superlek Kiatmoo9 for the ONE flyweight kickboxing world title. The world title match is set to headline ONE 165 on January 28. The match is pegged to be one of the biggest ones in kickboxing's modern history.
However, we're not at all surprised by this assessment, as Superlek is one of the craftiest and most exciting world champions in kickboxing today. Add this on top of the fact that this fight will be a 5-round world title bout, and the fans at Ariake Arena in Tokyo will more than get their money's worth.
Ahead of their massive super-fight, the two kickboxing icons squared off for the first time at the ONE 165 press conference:
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The two look virtually identical, size-wise. This will largely boil down to style and gameplan. It will be the hyper-aggressive body attacks of 'The Natural Born Crusher' versus the wily technical savvy of 'The Kicking Machine'.
Takeru's former rival and now-compatriot, Tenshin Nasukawa, believes he is the new face of kickboxing
One man who is 100 percent on board the Takeru hype train is his former rival and now-close friend, Tenshin Nasukawa. Tenshin was considered one of the best pound-for-pound kickboxers in the world alongside Takeru. The two had an epic rivalry in kickboxing before Tenshin ultimately transitioned into professional boxing.
Ahead of one of his upcoming bouts, Tenshin spoke of his Japanese compatriot in a press conference in Japan:
"Now that I am no longer in kickboxing, he is the icon of kickboxing now. As a representative of kickboxing, I don't want him to lose. When you think of kickboxing, you think of Takeru now.”
Lofty words coming from Tenshin. If 'The Natural Born Crusher' crushes 'The Kicking Machine' on January 28, he may very well be the new face of kickboxing today. ONE 165 airs live on global pay-per-view on Sunday, January 28. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for more announcements on the bill that emanates live from the Ariake Arena in Tokyo.
