Masaaki Noiri says Japanese athletes make up for the lack of 'raw strength' that foreign fighters have with their high fight IQ
Upcoming ONE interim featherweight world title challenger Masaaki Noiri admits that Japanese fighters like himself weren't gifted with incredible physical attributes like foreign athletes.
The former multiple-time K1 world champion shared this during his most recent interview with ONE Championship, as he explained:
"Both [Japanese fighters and foreign fighters] have their pros and cons, but if I had to point out something unique about foreign fighters, I'd say their physical strength stands out. They have a level of raw strength and overall physical power that Japanese fighters typically don't have."
However, he quickly claimed that Japanese fighters make up in the technical and fight IQ part of the game, as he added:
"I think Japanese fighters are superior in terms of the variety of techniques and the technical details of their skills."
Masaaki Noiri is now on the late end of his preparation for his championship showdown with Tawanchai PK Saenchai on March 23 at ONE 172 inside the packed Saitama Super Arena in Japan.
Masaaki Noiri points out another major difference between Japanese fighters and foreign fighters
The 31-year-old striking maestro has also identified another major difference between Japanese and foreign fighters during the same talk with ONE Championship.
Noiri said that losing feels like the end of the world for Japanese fighters, while foreign fighters are more eager to quickly bounce back from it, explaining:
"One thing I've noticed since joining ONE is that foreign fighters seem to be very unfazed even after losing. With Japanese fighters - including myself - losing feels like the end of the world. It's not that we intentionally create that atmosphere, but it just naturally happens."
Fans can purchase the ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang PPV card via watch.onefc.com. The card goes down inside the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on March 23.