Underdog Superlek ready to put kickboxing title on line against Japan sensation Takeru at ONE 165
- Superlek Kiatmoo9 will put his ONE Championship flyweight belt on the line in Tokyo this weekend
- Takeru Segawa is making his debut for the promotion in front of his home fans
Defending flyweight kickboxing champion and veteran of nearly 200 fights, Superlek Kiatmoo9 will be in an unfamiliar position when he steps into the ring against Takeru Segawa at ONE 165 on Sunday.
The Thai fighter may have a stacked resume, but his Japanese opponent is considered one of the best in the sport who battled Tenshin Nasukawa in one of its greatest bouts ever in 2022.
A former K-1 super featherweight champion, Takeru will be making his ONE Championship debut in front of his home fans in Tokyo, all of which makes Superlek the underdog, despite it being his title on the line.
“Honestly, I don’t feel pressure at all,” said Superlek, who is fighting as a late replacement for the injured Rodtang Jitmuangnon. “But I am happy to have a chance to defend the belt and I’m excited to come to fight in Japan.
“I don’t feel bad at all because I know that he has been in kickboxing much longer than I have. I switched from Muay Thai to kickboxing for a few years. So, I admit, I am an underdog in kickboxing, but not in terms of combat sports experience.”
While Takeru is a newcomer to ONE, Superlek has been following his career for a while and started to watch him closely when it became apparent their paths could eventually cross in the ring.