Just eighty seconds. That was all it took for Takeru ‘Natural Born Krusher’ Segawa to suffer the most humiliating defeat of his career, a wound that has fueled every training session since.
On Wednesday, April 29, the former three-division K-1 Champion will make his anticipated final professional appearance at ONE Samurai 1, live from Tokyo’s Ariake Arena. While the ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Title is at stake, the true prize for Takeru is the highly anticipated rematch against Rodtang ‘The Iron Man’ Jitmuangnon.
Their initial clash at ONE 172 in March concluded abruptly. Rodtang cornered Takeru against the ropes, delivering a devastating left hook at the 1:20 mark that led to a clean, violent knockout. The shell-shocked crowd fell silent. For a fighter who had never been stopped so quickly, this defeat left an indelible mark, fueling his focus squarely on April 29.
Takeru revealed, “After my loss to Rodtang, I began to realize that I had to defeat him before retiring. Losing in the first round was unprecedented for me; I had never been defeated so swiftly.”
He continued, “Rodtang was the first opponent to inflict such a profound sense of humiliation upon me as a fighter. I feel that unless I avenge that loss against an opponent of his caliber, I cannot truly conclude my professional fighting career.”
Takeru’s Road to Redemption
The 34-year-old fighter successfully rebuilt his confidence at ONE 173 in November, stopping Denis Puric in the second round at Ariake Arena. This victory not only earned him a US$50,000 performance bonus but also secured the crucial rematch he had consistently pursued.
From the moment he joined ONE Championship, Rodtang’s name was his singular focus. Every event since – from his loss to Superlek, through his recovery, to the knockout of Puric – has been a chapter in his ongoing narrative, all pointing back to a confrontation with Rodtang.
This time, Takeru arrives injury-free, in what he considers his peak condition, and with an acute awareness of the high stakes involved in this fight.
He stated, “Last time, I wasn’t in optimal condition due to injuries. That’s why I insisted on fighting him again for my final match, ensuring I’m at my absolute best.”
Takeru emphasized, “Ultimately, I joined ONE Championship specifically to fight Rodtang, making it imperative that I compete in peak condition. Otherwise, I would carry immense frustration. My utmost priority is to give my all, win this final bout, and achieve my two long-held ambitions: securing the ONE belt and defeating Rodtang. Given the unprecedented nature of my last defeat, I simply cannot retire without avenging it.”