Japanese superstars Takeru Segawa, Hiroki Akimoto added to One Friday Fights 81
Japanese kickboxing superstar Takeru Segawa will make his highly anticipated return to the ring at One Friday Fights 81 on September 27. “The Natural Born Crusher” hopes to erase the memory of Abhishek’s debut unanimous decision loss this past January when he faces hometown hero Black Panther in a flyweight kickboxing contest at Lumpini Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
After Takeru’s left leg absorbed numerous leg kicks from Superlake Kiatamu 9 in an impressive fight in Tokyo, Japan, the multiple-time K-1 champion hinted to his more than 800,000 followers on Instagram that he is ready to return to action.
It’s a big opportunity for the Black Panthers, who are riding a three-fight winning streak. The 31-year-old is coming off a head-kick knockout win over Ali Saldoev in July. However, Takeru won’t be the only one represented “Land of the Rising Sun” September 27.
Facing former world champions Hiroki Akimoto and Elias Ennahachi
Hiroki Akimoto has also been added to the One Friday Fights 81 bill. The former ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion will fight another former world champion, Elias Ennahachi. Akimoto was most recently in action last May against K-1 legend and newcomer Wei Rui.
After a pulsating three-round contest, however, it was Wei who raised his hand to call for a razor-thin unanimous decision.
This came after Akimoto lost his bantamweight kickboxing crown in another heartbreaking close split-decision loss to Pechtanong Pechfergus a few years ago.
To stay on the cusp of the divisional rankings, the Japanese star must turn away another fighter hungry to regain the 26-pound gold belt. Ennahachi vacates his one flyweight kickboxing world title due to struggles to make the 135-pound limit in 2023.
He made his successful debut in the bantamweight kickboxing division later that year, when he knocked out Iran’s Aliasghar Ghodratisarskan in the second round. A win over Akimito, however, would push the Moroccan star straight into the Jonathan Haggerty sweepstakes, as fighters from around the world face off against the two-sport one bantamweight world champion.