"Showcase who I really am" - Takeru plans to redeem himself with a mesmerizing KO over Thant Zin
Takeru Segawa is extremely grateful for second chances, and he'll definitely give it his all to capitalize on this golden opportunity.
'The Natural Born Crusher' may have faltered in his promotional debut against the mighty Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 167 last January, but that loss did little to dampen his warrior spirit.
Instead of dwelling on what could have been, the Japanese megastar is focusing on his shot at redemption at ONE Friday Fights 81: Superbon vs. Nattawut.
Takeru will be trading heavy leather against Thant Zin in a three-round flyweight kickboxing slugfest at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Sept. 27.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post ahead of his highly awaited return, Takeru said ONE fans have yet to see the extent of his full capabilities.
That said, the Team Vasileus star has every intent of unleashing his full potential via a resounding finish of his Burmese foe:
"Since I haven’t won yet in ONE, I want to show a winning performance with a knockout victory in front of fans to showcase who I really am."
ONE Friday Fights 81 will air live in Asian primetime via watch.onefc.com
Watch Takeru's SCMP MMA interview in its entirety:
Takeru says Superlek showed him what it means to be a ONE world champion
Despite falling short against two-weight and two-sport world champion Superlek, Takeru certainly earned the love and respect of many for his heart, passion, and world-class skills.
While he didn't leave with 26 pounds of gold against 'The Kicking Machine', the Japanese superstar admitted that the eye-opening experience gave him the motivation and guidance to continue fighting for his goal.
Takeru told ONE:
"I felt his mental strength as he kept standing. I really experienced what it means to be a ONE world champion at that level, and it was a great experience."