FIGHT fans might be a bit concerned when it comes to how Thai megastar Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmunagnon will show up for his super-fight with Japanese kickboxing sensation Takeru “The Natural Born Crusher” Segawa.
The pair will lock horns in a five-round kickboxing battle in the main event of ONE 172 on March 23, 2025, in ONE Championship’s return to Japan inside the 37,000-seat Saitama Super Arena.
Rodtang has been criticized for his struggles to make weight and sudden pullouts, and he can’t blame fans for worrying as he pulled out of his original fight with Takeru in January.
But now, Rodtang promises to be at his best – from preparation to the actual fight.
“For Takeru, who has been waiting to fight me and for the fans who have been waiting for this match for over a year, of course, this time I will not disappoint everyone,” Rodtang said at the ONE 172 press conference on Monday.
“I will do my best to be as ready as possible to face Takeru that day. I swear that there will be no injuries or withdrawals again.”
The charismatic Thai believes this fight is going to be a must-see, owing to his and Takeru’s styles, styles that have made them fan favorites from the get-go.
Like Rodtang, Takeru likes to bring the fight to his opponents, he’s very durable, and he’s got the heart to turn things around from precarious moments. He did just that in his fight against Thant Zin, where he bounced back from a first-round knockdown.
That’s why Rodtang is excited to face Takeru, not only to defend his stature in ONE, but for all the fans who’ve long waited for this match to happen.
“It’s time for us to show our potential to everyone around the world to witness. And I really want to fight against Takeru. With his style and my style, it’s very similar,” he said.
“I think that on fight day, both of us will show our true selves for everyone to see. They will definitely like it. Everyone will definitely get [a] treat on that day. I guarantee that it will be fierce.”
