‘He’s Like An Emotional Anchor’ — Masaaki Noiri Grateful For Takeru’s Presence And Lasting Influence
In a sport that often isolates its warriors in pursuit of individual glory, a genuine brotherhood offers an unbreakable lifeline. For former ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Masaaki Noiri, that bond was forged alongside former ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Takeru “Natural Born Krusher” Segawa, with both men having bled for the same dream.
That enduring alliance reaches an unforgettable crescendo at ONE SAMURAI 4 on Saturday, October 17, inside Tokyo’s Ariake Arena. On that star-studded evening, Noiri squares off against Mohammad Siasarani in the ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament semifinals.
On the same night, Noiri will also embrace the role of an emotional spectator, watching his beloved teammate immortalized in the ONE Hall of Fame.
Noiri’s connection with Takeru predates any single training camp, since his arrival at Team Vasileus had little to do with personal ambition. Loyalty brought him there, purely to support his senior’s own fight preparation.
Yet beneath the surface of their strong camaraderie, a strange, heartbreaking pattern has followed them. Whenever Takeru stood in his corner as a second, something always seemed to go wrong.
The Nagoya native said:
“In my last match, Takeru actually was there in my corner as my second, and up until then, whenever Takeru had been my second for a match, I’d actually never won. It was really only in the fights I lost that he’d always been in my corner.
“I’d always wanted, on the same day I got to fight in ONE, to win and celebrate that win with him, but that just never worked out. And then Takeru ended up retiring, so that dream never came true.”
Faced with that painful pattern, Noiri never once reached for excuses. Several of his toughest setbacks in the promotion arrived with Takeru watching on, including a World Title unification loss to reigning ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon at ONE 173.
Each time, Noiri carried the crushing psychological ache of failing to match the ferocious fighting spirit of the living legend he admired the most.
The former interim king said:
“Honestly, I don’t really know why, but I think it was just that the opponents were strong, or that I just wasn’t strong enough yet. He really was fighting alongside me in spirit, but I just simply couldn’t live up to his expectations.
“As a second, he’s an incredibly good one. He really does the job, and honestly he’s a huge emotional support too.”
That burden intensified heading into a rematch against Liu “Spirit Dragon” Mengyang at ONE SAMURAI 2 this past August, the man who had already beaten him once before.
Minutes before his walkout, however, an unexpected wave of distress crept in. Takeru was stationed in the commentary booth, and dread washed over him at the thought of entering battle without his brother by his side.
He said:
“In my last match, right before I walked out, Takeru was doing commentary, so he was actually in a suit. When it was time for me to walk out for my fight, he hadn’t made it there yet.
“The staff told me the fighter has to go by himself, but I said, ‘I just want to see Takeru’s face, even just for a second. Can I wait a bit?'”
Masaaki Noiri Finally Breaks The Curse With Takeru By His Side
The exact second Takeru Segawa sprinted backstage, the suffocating panic dissolved into complete clarity for Masaaki Noiri.
A mentor’s presence can ground a warrior’s spirit, and Takeru’s arrival right in the nick of time washed away every trace of lingering doubt.
The former two-division K-1 Champion said:
“They let me wait right up until the last moment. Right before I walked out, Takeru actually made it in time. Up until then, I’d honestly had all kinds of anxious feelings, but seeing his face put me at ease.
“It really made me think, ‘Alright, I’m gonna win this,’ so honestly, for me, he’s like an emotional anchor, one of the best seconds I could ask for.”
Inspired by his friend’s presence, Noiri fought like a man on an unshakable mission. He obliterated Liu, securing revenge via a highlight-reel first-round knockout to advance to the ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament semifinals.
Years of quiet frustration and personal guilt were erased in a single, cathartic breath. Takeru vaulted into the ring to embrace his younger teammate – the exact scene he had chased since the very beginning.
On October 17, Noiri will give everything he has inside the ring, fully aware that his brother will always have his back.
He concluded:
“Him fighting alongside me as my second, and the two of us celebrating a win together, that had always been my goal, my dream. It finally came true last time.
“The moment it was called a KO win, Takeru got up into the ring with me. That moment was just the best.”
