Takeru Makes His Return On November 16 At ONE 173

Takeru Seeks Redemption After Rodtang Loss

Takeru enters ONE 173 looking to bounce back from a heartbreaking knockout loss to Rodtang Jitmuangnon in their flyweight kickboxing super-fight in March.

The three-division K-1 Champion has experienced a rollercoaster ride since joining ONE Championship, suffering a unanimous decision loss to Superlek Kiatmoo9 in his promotional debut at ONE 165 in 2024.

Takeru rebounded with authority in his second outing, stopping Thant Zin via second-round knockout to showcase his devastating power. But his recent setback against Rodtang Jitmuangnon has left the 34-year-old fighter hungry for redemption.

A victory over Puric could potentially set up a rematch with the Thai superstar or lead the Japanese athlete to another shot at flyweight kickboxing gold.

Puric Aims to Upset Japanese Megastar Takeru in Tokyo

Denis Puric brings veteran savvy and proven durability to this flyweight kickboxing contest. The seasoned striker has compiled three victories in ONE Championship and notably pushed Rodtang to the limits across three grueling rounds in their previous encounter.

That performance demonstrated the 34-year-old Bosnian-Canadian’s ability to hang with elite competition and weather storms from explosive finishers. Puric has established himself with notable victories over Jacob Smith, Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat, and Tagir Khalilov.

Now, the veteran will look to play spoiler on enemy territory and potentially earn the biggest win of his career against Takeru.

World Title Opportunity Hangs in the Balance vs. Takeru

Both fighters understand the significance of this matchup in the competitive flyweight kickboxing division. For Takeru, a convincing performance could wash away memories of his knockout loss and position him for another marquee opportunity.

Puric, meanwhile, has the chance to derail a former K-1 Champion’s momentum and insert himself into ONE World Title contention.