Rodtang speaks out after first knockout loss in 13 years to Takeru

Photo by Amphol Thongmueangluang/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Rodtang Jitmuangnon’s rematch with Takeru Segawa ended in an unexpected stoppage defeat on Monday night in Tokyo. The Muay Thai star hadn’t been stopped since 2011, but that run came to an end during ONE Championship’s debut ‘Samurai’ event at Ariake Arena. Rodtang looked comfortable early and even dropped Takeru, but he was caught by a left hook in the second round and couldn’t recover from the follow-up flurry.

Despite earning the interim flyweight title, Takeru said after the fight that this might have been his final appearance. Rodtang reacts for the first time after Takeru defeat Takeru’s KO win over Rodtang in their first fight came quickly, just 80 seconds into the bout. So, heading into the rematch, Rodtang had every reason to believe he could turn things around.

But things weren’t straightforward in the build-up, with legal issues between him and his promotion cropping up just before fight night. In the ring, though, it was clear from early on that things weren’t going his way. He was knocked down twice in the opening round but managed to push through until the fifth when the referee stopped it at 2:22.

It was a tough night for him, and emotions ran high afterward; he was seen backstage in tears. He later posted a photo on Instagram of him and his family with a message that read: “My family will always be with me, and the fans who continue to support me—thank you for loving me all along. Today I feel weak, but one day I will come back for everyone.