Takeru Segawa will tick another item off of his bucket list when he fights at Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium this Friday night.
The Japanese kickboxing icon will return to action against Thant Zin at ONE Friday Fights 81, looking for his first win in ONE Championship.
The 33-year-old lost a unanimous decision on his promotional debut to flyweight kickboxing champion Superlek Kiatmookao in January, inside Tokyo's Ariake Arena.
Despite the defeat on home soil, Takeru still helped draw a US$2 million live gate, which suggested he would exclusively fight out of his home country in ONE.
His second fight however will take place in the more intimate confines of the 3,500-seat Lumpinee Stadium, with Takeru the fourth bout on the bill – purely for broadcast reasons, to coincide with Japanese primetime – instead of the headline act.
"No, I myself do not fixate on the place, or the arena," Takeru told the Bangkok Post during this week's ONE Friday Fights 81 virtual press conference.
"Also, from the beginning, I have always wanted to fight in Lumpinee Stadium, and this time I got that chance.
"To fight in Lumpinee, it makes me very happy, and I'll be the one to take the victory."
Takeru was adamant he is solely focused on Friday's kickboxing bout against Burmese striker Zin, who has two KOs in Muay Thai to his name at ONE Lumpinee.
However, with a super fight against Rodtang Jitmuangnon "already signed" according to ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, it will be hard not to cast his mind further forward.
Chatri confirmed if Takeru beats Zin, and Rodtang successfully defends his flyweight Muay Thai title against Jacob Smith at ONE 169 in Atlanta in November, the two superstars will finally meet in the ring, with a date and a venue already set.
"For myself, I want Rodtang to win his fight, but right now I don't want to think about anything other than focusing only on this fight facing Thant Zin," Takeru added.
"I know that his one punch power will be very strong. I want to be very careful with that. But regarding my strategy, I cannot say at this moment.
"I've watched videos of Thant Zin's fights. I've analyzed that he has a very heavy punch and a very heavy kick."
The Japanese kickboxing icon will return to action against Thant Zin at ONE Friday Fights 81, looking for his first win in ONE Championship.
The 33-year-old lost a unanimous decision on his promotional debut to flyweight kickboxing champion Superlek Kiatmookao in January, inside Tokyo's Ariake Arena.
Despite the defeat on home soil, Takeru still helped draw a US$2 million live gate, which suggested he would exclusively fight out of his home country in ONE.
His second fight however will take place in the more intimate confines of the 3,500-seat Lumpinee Stadium, with Takeru the fourth bout on the bill – purely for broadcast reasons, to coincide with Japanese primetime – instead of the headline act.
"No, I myself do not fixate on the place, or the arena," Takeru told the Bangkok Post during this week's ONE Friday Fights 81 virtual press conference.
"Also, from the beginning, I have always wanted to fight in Lumpinee Stadium, and this time I got that chance.
"To fight in Lumpinee, it makes me very happy, and I'll be the one to take the victory."
Takeru was adamant he is solely focused on Friday's kickboxing bout against Burmese striker Zin, who has two KOs in Muay Thai to his name at ONE Lumpinee.
However, with a super fight against Rodtang Jitmuangnon "already signed" according to ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, it will be hard not to cast his mind further forward.
Chatri confirmed if Takeru beats Zin, and Rodtang successfully defends his flyweight Muay Thai title against Jacob Smith at ONE 169 in Atlanta in November, the two superstars will finally meet in the ring, with a date and a venue already set.
"For myself, I want Rodtang to win his fight, but right now I don't want to think about anything other than focusing only on this fight facing Thant Zin," Takeru added.
"I know that his one punch power will be very strong. I want to be very careful with that. But regarding my strategy, I cannot say at this moment.
"I've watched videos of Thant Zin's fights. I've analyzed that he has a very heavy punch and a very heavy kick."
