“I was taught the Bushido spirit” - Japanese striker Masaaki Noiri shares where his unrelenting grit comes from 

31-year-old Japanese kickboxing superstar and former two-division K-1 world champion Masaaki Noiri will not back down, even in the face of imminent danger.

And that's exactly what he will be up against when he takes on Thai mauler Tawanchai PK Saenchai at home in Japan for the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title.

Noiri is coming off a spectacular second-round knockout victory over Iraq's Shakir Al-Tekreeti at ONE 170 last January. With that victory, the Japanese veteran booked a showdown with Tawanchai, the promotion's reigning featherweight Muay Thai king, for a piece of the division's kickboxing throne.

Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Noiri says that he was brought up in traditional Japanese culture, where bushido spirit taught him to fight until the end and never give up.

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Noiri told the world's largest martial arts organization:

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"I started martial arts with karate, so I was taught the Bushido spirit from a young age."

Needless to say, Noiri has his work cut out for him. Tawanchai has proven himself to be the best featherweight Muay Thai fighter in the world. Under the kickboxing rule set, Noiri will need to find his footing early against the Thai phenom.

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Masaaki Noiri and Tawanchai PK Saenchai do battle for interim gold at ONE 172 in Japan

Japanese standout Masaaki Noiri and featherweight Muay Thai king Tawanchai PK Saenchai are set to do battle for the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title.

The two go to war at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang, which will be broadcast live from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on Sunday, March 23.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live via global pay-per-view on watch.onefc.com.

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Masaaki Noiri's next fight.

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