ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri is shaping up to be arguably the biggest card in ONE Championship history, featuring a plethora of World Title fights. In addition, several non-title bouts have the potential to deliver fireworks on 16 November at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.
One such bout is Takeru Segawa vs. Denis Puric, who will look horns in a three-round flyweight kickboxing clash. Both world-class strikers were present at last week's press conference, where they shared their thoughts on the upcoming high-profile showdown.
For his part, the 40-year-old Puric has established himself as a fan favourite with an aggressive fighting style. The man with three ONE victories emphasized that he has spent most of his fighting career in enemy territory and plans
to knock out Takeru on Japanese soil.
"I've been competing for over 20 years. Most of my fights have been on enemy territory. I thrive in these kinds of situations. I know it's a big deal, you know, Takeru in Japan, the Japanese crowd is very electric, and they're going to have his back," Puric said.
"But I think the more the fans cheer for him, it's going to sharpen my focus more to beat him. And I'm definitely going to knock this guy out because I've seen some weaknesses in his last few fights. And I'm coming to put the lights out on this guy. "
Meanwhile, the Japanese megastar is no pushover by any means. The "Natural Born Krusher" boats an impressive 44-5 record, with victories over world-class strikers. He is also a three-division K-1 Champion.
The 34-year-old, however, had a rough start to his career under the bright lights of ONE Championship. The Yonago City native debuted in January 2024 against Superlek Kiatmoo9, producing an electrifying fight that will be remembered for a long time.
After losing to Superlek, Takeru came back stronger, winning his second bout via knockout before suffering a shocking defeat to Rodtang Jitmuangnon in just over two minutes. The Japanese megastar believes that his fighting style matches Puric's.
"I've actually met [Denis Puric] a few times in different bouts," Takeru said. "I think he's a very aggressive fighter. I saw him fight against Rodtang, and I think he fits my fighting style. "
