Takeru, one of few remaining dependable Japanese ticket-selling stars in the realm of kickboxing, has been the focal point of ONE’s renewed efforts to promote shows in Japan. After an abrupt loss to perhaps ONE’s biggest Thai star, Rodtang, he again finds himself in need of competitive image rehabilitation. Following a more competitive prior loss to then-champion Superlek Kiatmookao, Takeru was matched against a game but unseasoned Thant Zin, who sent Takeru to the canvas in the first round.
With over 40 fights, nearly a decade and a half of professional competition, and notorious hard-sparring, Takeru has struggled in recent years to make it through training camps unscathed. Notably, teammate and interim ONE 70kg kickboxing champion Masaaki Noiri revealed that Takeru entered the Rodtang fight with broken ribs and a broken sternum. The impact of this is difficult to disentangle from the impact of his opponents knocking him down in the opening round of his last two fights.
Opposite Takeru will be dependable brawler Denis Purić, the 40-year-old MMA convert who has plied his trade in both the Chinese and Japanese kickboxing scenes, and is notably a former opponent of both Rodtang and Takeru’s long-time training partner and friend, Koya Urabe. Purić too has struggled in recent bouts, losing to Rodtang, Elias Mahmoudi (though later overturned to a no contest due to a positive drug test on Mahmoudi’s part), and Jaosuayai Sor.Dechaphan. As with Takeru’s losses to Superlek and Rodtang, none of these are to be sneered at, though it places him in the perilous territory of becoming the archetypical showcase opponent a promoter reaches for in search of an entertaining bout and a valiant loss.
Stylistically, the bout promises boxing-heavy entertainment. As to the questions it may answer as to how much longer Takeru’s career may last, his physical condition, whether Purić can lever himself from a difficult promotional pigeonhole, and who if anyone can inherit the responsibility of being the primary Japanese attraction, that remains to be seen when ONE 173 takes place November 16.
REST OF THE CARD
Also on the kickboxing slate at ONE 173: Superbon will defend his Featherweight title to Japan's own Masaaki Noiri. The No.8 on the pound-for-pound list Yuki Yoza will take on Superlek. Thai superstar Stamp Fairtex will face Kana and Hiroki Akimoto will try to get his revenge at Wei Rui after a decision loss last year.
