Japanese kickboxing megastar Takeru ‘Natural Born Krusher’ Segawa is certain 2026 will be the year he wraps up what has been a magical journey at the very peak of the martial arts mountain.
The Team Vasileus representative posted on his official Instagram account (@k1takeru) just before New Year’s, confirming what everyone’s been suspecting for a while.
After years of dominating K-1 and challenging the world’s best in ONE Championship, the 34-year-old fighter is finally ready to hang up the gloves.
He’s not going quietly, though. His message made it clear he’s got one last mission before walking away for good.
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“Thank you for your support this year. Thanks to the support of all my fans and the people around me, I was able to fight to the end of the year as a fighter,” Takeru wrote.
“Next year will be my last match as an active fighter, so I will definitely win and end it in the best possible way. I look forward to your continued support in 2026! I hope you all have a wonderful new year.”
He has been dancing around retirement talk for a bit now. And he made his intentions known after securing a US$50,000 performance bonus-winning knockout of Denis Puric at ONE 173 inside the Ariake Arena in November last year.
So, this announcement doesn’t shock anyone who’s followed his recent comments. What matters is he’s committing to the timeline and making it clear what his final act looks like—one fight, one victory, perfect exit.
Masato Kobayashi impressed by Takeru’s blinding speed in Denis Puric fight
The 34-year-old headed into his clash against Bosnian-Canadian veteran Denis Puric with his back against the wall after being stunned by Rodtang Jitmuangnon in just 80 seconds at ONE 172.
But, history didn’t matter for ‘Natural Born Krusher’, who lived up to his moniker and reminded fans that setbacks don’t change his ability as a fighter.
Just days after his win, fellow countryman, former K-1 champion and kickboxing legend Masato Kobayashi, sang praise for Takeru’s win.
Per the Japanese martial artist, the Team Vasileus athlete’s speed made all the difference against the hard-hitting Puric.
“Right from the start, Takeru seemed to have great speed. His punches were much faster than it was before. I always have the image of him defeating fighters with his power, but his speed helped him knock out Puric with that one shot. I thought he was better than usual [at ONE 173].”
Edited by Aziel Karthak
