Superlek Kiatmoo9 is looking forward to playing the villain when ONE Championship returns to Japan this weekend, and he knows his upcoming fight won’t be an easy one. On Sunday, January 28, “The Kicking Machine” will be defending his title.

Kiatmoo9 will try and defend the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Championship against Japanese striking superstar Takeru Segawa in the main event of ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru inside the Ariake Arena in Tokyo. But how careful does he have to be?

Superlek Kiatmoo9 knows the pitfalls of the fight

In a recent press conference held for the event, the pair had the chance to face off against each other for the first time, and it got everyone even more excited for their impending matchup. Speaking to the crowd at the presser, Superlek shared his excitement at the possibility of beating the hometown hero.

“If I beat him in Japan, it’s going to be awesome. But to fight in Japan is not easy. Beating him is even less easy,” he said. Takeru is a generational talent, with a 43-3 record in kickboxing that includes a seven-year unbeaten run in the prestigious K-1 promotion in Japan.

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During his tenure there, “The Natural Born Crusher” held the organization’s World Titles in three different weight classes. Now, he is taking his talents to ONE Championship, joining the planet’s most elite strikers, like Superlek. While he is on an incredible run of his own, the Thai striking star is well aware of the dangers of facing a fighter like Takeru.

“His fighting style has karate and punches combined, like a scary melting pot. He’s good in his own way. Plus, he is durable,” he said. Superlek has won his last eight matches, competing in both Muay Thai and kickboxing, and, he’s been superior in all of them.

He will have to remain careful going forward

In his latest ONE Championship outing, he defeated flyweight Muay Thai king Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a match that broke multiple broadcasting records across the world. Now that’s not something everyone can pull off. While he is certainly as dangerous as Takeru in many ways, “The Kicking Machine” isn’t about to underestimate his upcoming opponent, and he shared why he is approaching his matchup with the 32-year-old with much caution.

Also Read: “It’s Incredible What They’ve Achieved” – Liam Harrison Says ONE Championship Is Challenging UFC’s Combat Sports Dominance With Striking Divisions

“What I need to be extra careful of against Takeru are his punches. He strikes so well in combination, too,” Superlek said. “I can’t be careless because he’s great with lots of experience. I can’t just be reckless, especially fighting a fighter at this level. Reckless isn’t even in the dictionary.”

Also Read: “The Range Is So Diverse With the Best Guys in the World” – Sage Northcutt Says Fans Are Catching On to ONE Championship’s Exciting Shows