ONE Championship signs kickboxing star Takeru Segawa to ‘exclusive, multiple fight deal’
- Takeru is a former three-division K-1 champion and is considered one of the top kickboxers in the world
- 31-year-old was beaten by fellow Japanese star Tenshin Nasukawa in his last fight, but remains one of the biggest stars in the sport
Takeru Segawa, one of the biggest stars in kickboxing, is headed to ONE Championship.
The 31-year-old Japanese fighter has signed an “exclusive, multiple fight deal” with the Singapore-based promotion, its CEO and Chairman Chatri Sityodtong announced on Facebook on Friday.
Takeru joins the ONE roster with a staggering list of accomplishments in the kickboxing ring, most notably winning titles in three weight classes in respected promotion K-1. He is the only fighter in the promotion’s history to accomplish that feat.
In his last fight, the 31-year-old lost a decision to fellow Japanese kickboxing star Tenshin Nasukawa, marking the end of an unbeaten streak that dated back to 2012 and spanned over 30 bouts. The fight generated massive interest in the pair’s home country and internationally, and was a lucrative pay-per-view success.
The loss to Tenshin – a generational talent himself – did little damage Takeru’s reputation. When his K-1 contract expired last autumn, he became one of the hottest free agents in combat sports, and there were immediate questions about where he would take his career.
ONE Championship is ‘the only challenge’ for Ngannou, says Chatri
ONE, which is known to have a deep war chest, was an obvious front runner in the race for the Japanese star’s services. However, he first signed a one-fight deal with a French promotion, which will see him take on the United Kingdom’s Bailey Sugden in Paris on June 24.
He will debut with ONE thereafter.
There are a host of exciting matchups awaiting him in the Singapore-based promotion, with fans already buzzing about potential clashes with bantamweight Muay Thai champion Jonathan Haggerty, flyweight Muay Thai champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon, and strawweight kickboxing champion Jonathan Di Bella, to name a few.
