At a press conference in Tokyo earlier today, Superbon against Masaaki Noiri was announced as the main event for ONE 173. After the Japanese fighter beat Tawanchai at ONE 172 and won the interim ONE Championship Featherweight Kickboxing belt, this will be a blockbuster showdown to unify the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Championship on November 16.
The co-main event features a rematch between undisputed ONE Heavyweight MMA champion "Reug Reug" Oumar Kane and former champion Anatoly Malykhin.
ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong also revealed that Japanese superstars Takeru and Nadaka Yoshinari will be featured on the same card, their opponents will be announced later.
Takeru has called for a rematch with Rodtang, challenging him under "open-finger glove boxing rules or even bare-knuckle rules." Rodtang responded that he's willing to fight under any rules Takeru proposes. The two previously fought in March, where Rodtang scored a swift and brutal first-round knockout.
Besides, Yuki Yoza, who is scheduled to face Petchtanong on July 18, made a special appearance at the press conference. The winner of that bout will earn a title shot against Jonathan Haggerty for the ONE Championship Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship at the event, bringing the number of announced title bouts to three.
ONE 173 is scheduled to take place at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on November 16. Additional bouts are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
