“He may outwork Rodtang” - Jacob Smith confident Takeru can overcome Rodtang in dream super fight
Jacob Smith believes Takeru Segawa has a stylistic advantage in a potential kickboxing super fight against Rodtang.
On January 28, Segawa was scheduled to make his highly-anticipated ONE Championship debut against Rodtang. Unfortunately, the Thai megastar pulled out of the ONE 165 main event, which took place in Japan, due to an injury.
Superlek stepped in on short notice and put this featherweight kickboxing world title on the line. Segawa and 'The Kicking Machine' showcased an entertaining battle for five rounds, with the latter emerging victorious by unanimous decision.
Segawa bounced back with a second-round knockout win against Thant Zin last month. As a result, fans have begun eyeing future super fight for the Japanese kickboxing superstar, including a rematch against Superlek and a dream matchup against Rodtang.
During an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Jacob Smith, a former opponent of Rodtang, had this to say about Segawa having an advantage if they fight:
"This fight suits Takeru big time, obviously, if it's in kickboxing, it’s his sport. And I feel he may outwork Rodtang."
Takeru Segawa's next fight could come down to timing. Superlek fought around the same time as him, defeating Jonathan Haggerty in Muay Thai to become a two-sport world champion. Meanwhile, Segawa would potentially have to wait longer for Rodtang, as the latter has an upcoming fight in "The Art of Eight Limbs."
Jacob Smith looks to pull off upset against ONE flyweight Muay Thai king Rodtang
In May 2022, Jacob Smith made his ONE Championship debut, challenging Rodtang for his flyweight Muay Thai world title. The UK challenger endured a rude awakening in his first fight under the ONE banner, as 'The Iron Man' battered him for five rounds before emerging victorious by unanimous decision.
Smith has since fought twice against Walter Goncalves (first-round knockout win) and Denis Puric (unanimous decision loss). The 32-year-old's last two performances have led the promotion to award him another title shot.
On November 8, Smith will face Rodtang in a rematch during the ONE 169 co-main event. The event goes down inside the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. North American and Canadian viewers can watch the upcoming card with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.