Taito Gunji has taken out every notable fighter at his weight and has cemented himself as one of the best fighters in the world. He'll now attempt to build on his legacy further by overcoming fighters of the next generation as well.
K-1 Featherweight (-57.5 kg) champion and one-time World Grand Prix winner Taito Gunji will make his second title defense against "Rookie of the Year" & ISKA champion Takumi Terada on September 29. Terada earned himself the right to challenge the champion last month with a decision triumph over the divisional top-contender Shoki Kaneda, who was seen by most as the next in line for a bite at the title. The Kobayashi-native nonetheless has another tough task before him, as the relentless pressure of Gunji is yet to meet its’ match at the weight.
ISKA champion Tarada will fight representing Takeru's 'Team Vasileus' for the third time since moving to the gym in early 2024 and has stated: "Because Takeru has fast and strong punches, I think he's a good partner to help prepare. But if we do too much hard sparring, we might end up getting hurt because our styles are similar, so I plan to do more light sparring."
The champion was much more confident in his response to the media questions, saying:
"Honestly, I think I'm the best in the featherweight division, including fighters from other organizations. So, I believe this match is fitting to prove that. I think winning overwhelmingly and finishing with a KO is fitting as the K-1 champion."
While the likes of Prajanchai and Jonathan Di Bella are likely to disagree, it’s hard to dispute such a claim after everything the 25-year-old has achieved so far.
