After nearly two years on the sidelines, Hiroki Akimoto has his next fight – and it'll be against the best fighter China has to offer.
Former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Hiroki Akimoto is expected to take on the one-time Wu Lin Feng and K-1 champion Wei Rui, in the latter's debut with the promotion, at ONE Fight Night 22 on May 4.
Akimoto was last seen in action in November of 2022, a split decision loss against Petchtanong, who was later stripped of his title and suspended for 12 months following a positive drug test. Rui, on the other hand, fought twice during that time, which extended his current win streak to 20 consecutive fights. Some have noticed a slight downturn in Rui recently however and while he might have activity on his side, Akimoto will be the younger fighter still in his prime in this equation.
Another thing Chatri Sityodtong shared in his Q&A session yesterday, was an update on the status of the above-mentioned Petchtanong Petchfurgus. According to the ONE Championship CEO, while the 38-year-old former champion is due to see his ban expire on June 10, he will still be forced to turn in a negative test sample before he is allowed back into competition.
