Japanese kickboxing superstar Takeru Segawa has seemingly hinted that he may be ONE Championship bound.
“Natural Born Crusher” has been linked with a move to ONE in recent times, and he has inadvertently – or perhaps deliberately – poured gas on the speculation.
Takeru has been in Los Angeles training at Boxing Works – home of two-sport ONE World Champion Janet Todd and ONE Muay Thai fighter Jackie Buntan – and was seen wearing a pair of ONE gloves in a training clip posted to his Instagram page on February 16.
The news presents some exciting possibilities.
Who is Takeru Segawa?
Takeru is a long-time K-1 superstar who boasts a professional record of 41-3, with 24 victories via knockout.
The 31-year-old is a former K-1 Champion at bantamweight, featherweight, and super featherweight, as well as a four-time K-1 world grand prix winner.
Takeru’s impressive record also includes a win over recent ONE flyweight kickboxing world title challenger Daniel Puertas back in 2018.
Currently, the Japanese athlete is a free agent.
Could he face Rodtang?
ONE flyweight muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon was the recipient of a Takeru callout back in 2021, a challenge that was accepted by the Thai superstar.
The obvious stumbling block at the time was that both fighters were contracted to different organizations. However, that hurdle has now been cleared.
Upon Takeru announcing his free agency in November, Rodtang was quick to renew social media hostilities.
“I’m personally calling out (Takeru Segawa) for a fight in ONE. If you do not answer my challenge, the fans will know why,” he posted.
Another ONE world champion calls him out
Undefeated ONE strawweight kickboxing world champion Jonathan Di Bella also joined the chorus of fighters clamoring for a showdown with Takeru, should he make his way to ONE.
The Canadian-Italian superstar took to Twitter to politely put his hand up for the challenge, tagging ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong in the post.
https://twitter.com/jondibella/status/1622764428788748288
Takeru will have no shortage of suitors, given his credentials in his home country. If he were to make his way to the global stage via ONE Championship, there would be a plethora of fan-friendly matchups awaiting him.
