Reigning Rajadamnern stadium featherweight champion Yodkitsada Yuthachonburi got the opportunity to make his overseas debut on the K’Festa 2 card but was matched with one of the best kickboxers on the planet.
Takeru Segawa is a three time K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, having won at 55, 57.5 and 60kgs. Coming from a Karate and then kickboxing background he was always going to be more comfortable at the ruleset than the Muay Thai fighter.
So it proved. Yodkitsada has a typical Muay Thai style and is known primarily for attacking with elbows or throwing knees in the clinch, a style rendered totally ineffective by the K-1 scoring system.
Superior kickboxer
It was apparent from the off that Takeru was the superior kickboxer as he moved around the ring almost effortlessly, firing in fast hand combinations and low kicks in his trademark aggressive style.
By contrast Yodkitsada looked uncomfortable with this style of fighting as he tried to get in and out and do damage without being countered. In the opening round he resisted the impulse to rush in but old habits die hard.
This would ultimately be the cause of Yodkitsada’s downfall in the second round. With 30 seconds remaining he charged forward and landed a one-two which Takeru countered with a perfectly timed right hook.
Unfamiliar ruleset
Yodkitsada was given an eight count but was able to continue. However Takeru was ruthless and attacked with a quick succession of overhand rights that sent him down to the canvas with the referee quickly waving off the fight.
It was not the international debut Yodkitsada would have wanted, but given that he was facing one of the best kickboxers in the world under a completely unfamiliar ruleset, the Rajadamnern champion can still hold his head high.
By stopping a reigning stadium champion Takeru followed in the footsteps of Tenshin Nasukawa, who knocked out Wanchalong PKSaenchaigym last year. But Yotkitsada was always likely to struggle with the ruleset on his kickboxing debut
K’Festa 2, March 10th, Tokyo
Takeru def. Yodkitsada Yuthachonburi by KO (Punch) in Round 2
Koji def. Jan Szajko by Decision (Unanimous)
Minoru Kimura def. Hiromi Wajima by TKO in Round 1
Josefine Knutsson def. Kana by Decision (Majority)
Jorge Varela def. Ryusei Ashizawa by TKO in Round 1
Jordann Pikeur def. Masaaki Noiri by Decision (Majority)
Yoshiki Takei def. Sandro Martin by TKO in Round 1
Yuta Kubo def. Yasuhiro Kido by Decision (Unanimous) (For Welterweight Title)
Yuta Murakoshi def. Hirotaka Urabe by Decision (Unanimous) (For Featherweight Title)
Rukiya Anpo def. Daizo Sasaki by Decision (Unanimous)
Yasuomi Soda def. Masaya Matsuhana by Decision (Unanimous)
Kosuke Komiyama def. Masanobu Goshu by Decision (Unanimous)
Akihiro Kaneko def. Shuhei Kumura by Decision (Unanimous)
Kenta Hayashi def. Koya Urabe by Decision (Unanimous) (For Lightweight Title)
Sina Karimian def. Hisaki Kato by Decision (Unanimous) (For Cruiserweight Title)
Yuto Shinohara def. Fumiya Osawa by Decision (Unanimous)
Gonnapar Weerasakreck def. Liu Wei by Decision (Unanimous)
Kaisei Kondo def. Ruku by KO in Round 2
Kaito Ozawa def. Hayato by Decision (Unanimous)
Kota Nakano def. Fumiya by KO in Round 3
Yutaka def. Takuma Kawaguchi by KO in Round 3
Riku Morisaka def. Yuto Kuroda by Decision (Unanimous)
Riamu def. Rira by Decision (Majority)
