“It will end in a knockout” - Masaaki Noiri confident he’ll finish Superbon the same way he did vs Tawanchai

Interim featherweight kickboxing world champion Masaaki Noiri said he will knock out reigning divisional king Superbon in their scheduled unification match later this year. He sees it going the way of the spectacular KO win he had over Thai superstar Tawanchai PK Saenchai last time around.

The two kickboxing superstars are set for a marquee collision at ONE 173 on Nov. 16. It will serve as the headlining match of the event happening at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

At the press conference for ONE 173 earlier this week, Masaaki Noiri shared his thoughts on his clash with Superbon, including how he sees it as having a KO finish in his favor on his way to becoming the undisputed ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion.

The former two-division K-1 champion said:

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"Whether it be the main match or not, I don’t think about it when I’m fighting. However, I think there are certain expectations placed on me, and I could promise you that it will end in a knockout, and I imagine myself wearing the belt after the match."

Masaaki Noiri is coming off an impressive third-round KO win over Tawanchai in his last match back in March also in Japan, netting him the interim featherweight kickboxing championship belt.

The win also earned him a $50,000 performance bonus from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong while extending his turnaround in the promotion with a second straight victory following an 0-2 start to his campaign.

ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri will be the second event of ONE Championship in Japan this year. To check out further developments on the event, log on to www.onefc.com.

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Masaaki Noiri determined to supplant Superbon as top man in featherweight kickboxing

What Masaaki Noiri said at the press conference for ONE 173 was in line with his goal of replacing reigning ONE featherweight kickboxing king Superbon at the top after claiming the interim belt in his last match.

He touched on it following his KO victory over Tawanchai in March, underscoring that next for him was no doubt becoming the undisputed divisional world champion.

The veteran Japanese kickboxer told My Navi News:

"How much I have improved? I'm sure there are still many fighters out there in the world who is better than me. But there is only one fighter who is ranked above me at the moment. So, for now, that's my only goal [facing Superbon]."

Out to frustrate Noiri in his push at ONE 173 is Superbon, the former interim champion who was elevated to undisputed king after former champion Chingiz Allazov was stripped of the title for his extended inactivity.

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Edited by C. Naik