“I prepared a lot” - Thant Zin ready to make a statement against Takeru, dedicates fight to survivors of Myanmar floods
Thant Zin believes he's carrying a far larger responsibility when he takes on Takeru Segawa at ONE Friday Fights 81. The Burmese rising star will face Takeru in a pivotal flyweight kickboxing match this Friday at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium.
During the virtual press conference for the Friday card, Zin said he's ready for whatever the Japanese superstar throws at him.
He also described that his next fight under the ONE Championship banner has a deeper meaning for him.
Typhoon Yagi devastated Zin's home country over the past week and the 19-year-old wants to extend his help in any way he can.
He said:
"I prepared a lot and tried hard for this fight because, normally, I don't really know much about kickboxing. I come from a lethwei background where I can use bare fists and headbutts. But in Muay Thai, I cannot use headbutts, and I have to follow Muay Thai rules. In kickboxing, I cannot use headbutts or elbow strikes."
Thant Zin added:
"So, I have prepared and tried a lot for this fight. I want to win this fight because I want to help the people who suffer from the flood disaster."
According to news reports, there have been at least 226 fatalities after Typhoon Yagi ravaged Myanmar.
Zin, who owns a perfect 2-0 record and two knockouts in ONE Championship, can score a career-defining win and greatly elevate his career if he gets past Takeru in Bangkok.
Takeru, however, won't go down without a fight.
'The Natural Born Crusher' is considered one of the greatest kickboxers in Japanese history and the only fighter to become a three-division world champion in K-1.
Takeru Segawa plans knock Thant Zin out at ONE Friday Fights 81
Takeru Segawa is fully aware of Thant Zin's innate power, and he believes there's one simple way to stop the knockout machine in Bangkok -- knock him out as quickly as possible.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Takeru admired Zin's destructive power and expressed his desire to capture a highlight reel knockout at ONE Friday Fights 81:
"His punches and kicks are both strong, so I have to watch out for those. Thant Zin is an aggressive fighter, so I have to look to knock him out."