“I’ve watched him fight” - Superlek admits he knew he was on a collision course with Yuki Yoza

Reigning ONE flyweight kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 of Thailand knew Yuki Yoza would be in his way at some point.

That moment has finally arrived at ONE 173 on November 16, where 'The Kicking Machine' will duel the Japanese striker in his home turf at Tokyo's Ariake Arena.

According to Superlek, he recognized this inevitable matchup after he beat up Yoza’s Team Vasileus teammate Takeru Segawa.

The 29-year-old pound-for-pound striking marvel told ONE Championship in his pre-event interview:

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"The main reason I want to return is my opponent, Yuki. I've watched him fight, and he expressed a desire to fight me on his Instagram when I fought Takeru."

Superlek was admittedly willing to sit out the rest of the year to recuperate from his shocking loss to undisputed ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nabil Anane.

However, facing a surging contender like Yoza was admittedly impossible to resist. Yoza has been on a warpath, demolishing Elbrus Osmanov and Petchtanong Petchfergus.

Plus, Superlek is also looking forward to competing in arguably the biggest martial arts event of 2025 in ‘The Land of the Rising Sun’.

Keep up with Sportskeeda and ONE Championship for the latest on this anticipated kicking battle.

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Superlek says he didn't hesitate when offered to fight Yuki Yoza

Yuki Yoza is admittedly a dangerous opponent for the redemption-seeking Superlek.

The 27-year-old boasts a well-rounded and dynamic striking style, which includes punishing calf kicks.

The Japanese star is also on a 12-fight winning streak, which now includes back-to-back victories in the home of martial arts.

Despite his opponent's momentum, Superlek signed the dotted line right away since he loves testing himself against the best.

"When they asked if I was ready and wanted to return, I immediately said yes. I really want to go back and fight at this big event in Japan," the Thai megastar told ONE Championship.

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Edited by Saiyed Adeem Karim