needed just 80 seconds to stop and close the show on one of the biggest kickboxing fights in recent history.
On Sunday, March 23, the collective eyes of the martial arts world converged on at Japan바카라s Saitama Super Arena as the two megastars threw down in a monumental flyweight kickboxing main event that was years in the making.
Sporting washboard abs and a look of supreme confidence, Rodtang seemed to be in the finest condition of his career.
The former long-reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion marched forward from the opening bell, fearlessly stalking the decorated Japanese icon before uncorking a thunderous left hook that sent Takeru crashing to the canvas and unable to answer the count.
That highlight-reel knockout left the Japanese crowd 바카라 and Rodtang himself 바카라 stunned.
Afterward, the 27-year-old explained that, although he had specifically devised a game plan around his left hook, he didn바카라t think the finish would come so quickly:
바카라I didn바카라t expect that knockout to happen in the first round, but we did train very hard for it, to find a way to finish Takeru.
바카라Back home in Thailand, I바카라ve been training very hard for this fight. I have studied all the weaknesses and all the openings of Takeru, and that left hook is one of the moves that I trained. I feel like I did my part, but I didn바카라t expect that finish that quickly.바카라
Tensions between Rodtang and Takeru grew to a fever pitch in the months and weeks leading up to ONE 172.
Still, despite trading harsh words before the fight, 바카라The Iron Man바카라 had nothing but respect for his adversary:
바카라Since Takeru joined ONE Championship, I바카라ve been watching Takeru. I know that Takeru is a K-1 Champion, and he is one of the best. Takeru has a never-give-up spirit. He바카라s one of the best in the world, and I thought this fight would have lasted longer.바카라
Ultimately, Rodtang was able to do the unthinkable and finish Takeru 바카라 a man long regarded as one of kickboxing바카라s pound-for-pound best who is renowned for his super-human durability and granite chin.
Given 바카라Natural Born Krusher바카라s바카라 reputation, Rodtang had planned to spend the first couple of rounds softening up his opponent before going for the kill.
With that in mind, the Thai바카라s jaw-crushing left hook shocked even himself:
바카라As I answered in some of the press conferences before, I wanted to take the first two rounds to box it up with Takeru, to see who바카라s gonna be the one left standing. But it바카라s incredible. I didn바카라t even realize that my hands had that much power to knock him out. Even I바카라m surprised.바카라
Rodtang Says Weight Issues Are Behind Him
Beyond his unforgettable finish of Takeru Segawa at ONE 172, Rodtang Jitmuangnon also silenced a number of his critics.
After failing to make the flyweight limit in each of his last two fights 바카라 one of which cost him the division바카라s World Title belt 바카라 many had come to question 바카라The Iron Man바카라s바카라 discipline.
Rodtang said that he heard those criticisms loud and clear, adding that the loss of his belt motivated him to work even harder:
바카라It feels like I just woke up from a bad dream. In the two past fights, I missed weight, and I lost something that I cherish, that I love the most, my Muay Thai belt. I have to fight the criticism.
바카라I lost that belt, not because I lost to my opponent, but because of myself that I couldn바카라t make weight. And that woke me up. It told me that I have to work harder. I have to wake up in the morning and have to train hard, and I have to do anything that I can to get that belt back.바카라
Indeed, Rodtang displayed a clean and cut physique to go along with his terrifying power against Takeru.
He said that, after working closely with a nutritionist and fine-tuning his conditioning regimen, he바카라s back on track to dominate the flyweight division:
바카라I felt like this was a bad dream, but now the result clearly shows that I have found success again. I reminded myself every day during training about how successful I was and why I became famous in the first place, and now I바카라m really dedicated.
바카라I take no breaks. I train every day, and I want to say thank you to Chatri for recommending Peter, my nutritionist, who바카라s been helping me very much with my conditioning. It feels like this is a new world for me right now.바카라
