In a recent press conference, Takeru Segawa revealed that his decision to join ONE Championship was driven by his desire to face Rodtang Jitmuangnon, the former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion. Takeru expressed his ambition to become the world’s best by defeating Rodtang. It is set to go down at ONE 172 on Mar. 23.
Rodtang vs. Takeru
The rivalry between Takeru and Rodtang has been years in the making. In October 2021, Takeru publicly expressed his desire to face Rodtang, who was then the reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion. The fight was initially scheduled for ONE 165 in January 2024 but was postponed due to Rodtang’s injury.
Takeru emphasized his motivation to defeat Rodtang, stating, “I fought in K-1 and won three divisional championships, and for the last challenge of my career, I chose ONE Championship. And the reason is Rodtang. He’s number one. He’s been a champion for a long time, and if I beat Rodtang, I’ll be number one in the world. So this is my reason for this challenge.”
Rodtang, equally eager for the fight, noted, “I’m really happy to fight Takeru this time. I’ve been watching Takeru, his path in his career, and [his fight with] Tenshin. And for the fight, I’ll be representing ONE Championship, and I’m looking forward to a great fight on fight day.”
Takeru Segawa is a three-division K-1 World Champion who has been unbeatable for much of his career, enjoying a 35-fight winning streak at one point. Takeru’s journey into martial arts began with karate, but he eventually transitioned to kickboxing, inspired by legends like Andy Hug.
Rodtang Jitmuangnon is a Muay Thai legend from Thailand. He has been a mainstay in ONE Championship since 2018, boasting a promotional record of 16-2. He rose to fame after claiming the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship in 2019. Rodtang is known for his incredible durability and aggressive fighting style.
The upcoming fight between Takeru and Rodtang is poised to be one of the most explosive in kickboxing history. As ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong predicted, “Somebody’s going to get knocked out. Takeru is going to knock out Rodtang, or Rodtang is going to knock out Takeru.”