Takeru “Natural Born Krusher” Segawa is driven by the memory of his swift, eighty-second defeat to Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon. This humiliating loss, the quickest of his career, has fueled every training session since.
The former three-division K-1 Champion is set to make his final professional appearance at ONE Samurai 1 in Tokyo’s Ariake Arena. While the ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Title is at stake, Takeru’s primary focus is securing revenge against Rodtang. Their initial encounter at ONE 172 in March 2025 saw Rodtang decisively knock Takeru out in the first round, leaving a deep mark on the fighter.
Takeru candidly expressed his feelings, stating that the unique nature of that defeat made him realize he couldn’t retire without avenging it. “He was the first opponent who gave me that level of humiliation as a fighter,” Takeru remarked, emphasizing his need for retribution to conclude his career honorably.
Having rebuilt his confidence with a second-round stoppage of Denis Puric at ONE 173, where he also earned a US$50,000 bonus, Takeru secured the highly anticipated rematch. He joined ONE Championship specifically to face Rodtang, viewing all subsequent events as part of a larger narrative leading back to this pivotal fight.
Crucially, Takeru enters this rematch healthy and in peak condition, a significant improvement from their previous bout where he was hampered by injuries. He stressed the importance of fighting Rodtang at his best, aiming to achieve his long-held goals: claim the ONE belt and finally defeat Rodtang. For Takeru, quitting without avenging that unprecedented loss is simply not an option.