, known mononymously as Takeru, is a former Japanese kickboxer. He is the former ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion, K-1 Super Featherweight champion, K-1 Featherweight champion and K-1 Super Bantamweight champion. He is the only three weight champion in K-1 history. Takeru is considered by many to be a generational talent and one of the greatest kickboxers in the modern history of the sport, alongside his compatriot Tenshin Nasukawa.
A professional competitor since 2008, Segawa became the K-1 Super Bantamweight champion when he defeated Taiga Kawabe in the finals of the 2015 K-1 Super Bantamweight Grand Prix, on April 19, 2015. He became the K-1 Featherweight champion when he defeated Kaito Ozawa in the finals of the 2016 K-1 Featherweight Grand Prix, on November 3, 2016, thus becoming the first two-weight champion in K-1 history. He further became the K-1 Super Featherweight champion after defeating Kosuke Komiyama in the finals of the 2018 K-1 Super Featherweight Grand Prix, on March 21, 2018, thus becoming the first and only three weight champion in K-1 history.
Segawa was ranked as a top ten pound for pound kickboxer by Combat Press from June 2015 until October 2022, when he took an extended break to heal a number of injuries, and was ranked as the best pound for pound kickboxer from June 2019 until July 2022. Combat Press ranked him as the best flyweight and later the best bantamweight in their divisional rankings as well.
Segawa most recently competed in ONE Championship, and is one of only two men to have knocked out Rodtang Jitmuangnon.
Personal life and background Born on July 29, 1991, Takeru was named after Yamato Takeru by his father, who was an avid amateur historian. As a child, Takeru was a fan of both pro-wrestling and kickboxing. He was inspired to pursue kickboxing as a professional career after seeing Andy Hug win the 1996 K-1 Grand Prix and began training karate in the second grade of primary school. Because he loved children and also dreamed of becoming a preschool teacher at one point, Takeru enrolled in a high school that had a boxing club and offered a preschool teaching certification program; however, due to disciplinary issues, he was expelled after three months.
After his expulsion, in 2008, Takeru used his earnings that he had saved from his part-time jobs to travel to Thailand by himself, where he trained striking full-time and competed in various amateur tournaments to gain experience. To compete in the K-1 Koushien tournament, which was only open to high school students, Takeru re-enrolled in a correspondence high school.https://www.k-1.co.jp/koushien/about
In 2009, Takeru fulfilled his long-held dream of competing in K-1 Koushien, but was eliminated in the second round of the Kansai regional qualifiers. Overcome with frustration, he tearfully pleaded with Kensaku Maeda, who was sitting in the headquarters booth, saying, "I’m not this weak. I want to get stronger." Maeda encouraged him to join “Team Dragon,” saying he could become stronger there.
In 2010, Takeru held multiple part-time jobs again to save money for his eventual relocation to Tokyo, where he began training at “Team Dragon” under Kensaku Maeda immediately after graduating from high school.
Takeru has two siblings, an older and younger sister. On July 28, 2025, Takeru married his long-time partner and actress, Aoi Kawaguchi, in Japan.https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2398312/full/
Fighting style Takeru is notable for using a high volume and variety of front leg kicks. He makes use of the lead leg push kicks and snap kicks. True to his karate background, he uses the lead leg round and triangle kick as well, which he will throw should his opponent circle to the left. Alongside these, he uses the lead leg head kick. To transfer power into his lead leg, however, Takeru must first place his rear leg underneath his center of gravity, which leaves him exposed on one leg, squared and without an option to retreat, should his lead leg kick be deflected or round kick blocked. To adjust to this when fighting southpaws, he sticks to step up lead leg low kicks and rear leg knees.
The lead leg attack do not merely serve to score points, or debilitate and exhaust opponents, but to push the opponent to the ropes. His main strikes, once the opponent is backed up, are the right hook to the body and the stepping right knee. He'll combine the right hook with the left hook to the head, or combine a right-left to the body. Due to his ability to strike with the lead leg, he'll often use it to feint a kick, before placing his leg down on the mat and throwing power strikes.
Kickboxing career Early career Takeru made his professional debut at KAKUMEI NAGOYA 3 ～, when he was scheduled to fight Bonta. He won the fight by a unanimous decision.
His next kickboxing bout came two years after his first one. He was scheduled to make his promotional appearance with K-1 at Krush 12, when he was set to face Hirofumi Kamata. He won the fight by a technical knockout, managing to knock Kamata down three times inside of the second round.
Takeru was scheduled to fight Katsumi Masuda at Krush-EX 2011 Final. Takeru dominated Kamata through all three rounds, with Kamata spending the entire fight on the defensive. Takeru won the fight by unanimous decision, with two judges scoring the bout 30-27 in his favor and the last judge scoring it 30-26 in his favor.
Takeru was scheduled to fight Kazuki Tanaka at Krush 17. He won the fight by a late second-round knockout. Takeru extended his six-fight winning streak with a first-round body-shot knockout of Masanori Shimada.
Takeru was scheduled to fight Yuki Kyotani at Krush 19. Kyotani managed to knock down Takeru in the first round, and kept him staggered throughout the rest of it. The referee called in the ringside doctor at the end of the round, who stopped the fight, as Takeru had suffered a broken nose. It would prove to be Takeru's only loss in over a decade and a half.
Takeru was scheduled to fight Masato Yuki at Krush YOUTH GP. He won the fight by unanimous decision, winning all three rounds of the bout. He would go on to win his next two fights by stoppage, knocking Yuya Suzuki out with a right hook at Krush-EX 2012 vol.5 and Katsuki Sakaki with a right cross at Krush 25.
Krush Featherweight champion Krush Featherweight tournament His 9-1 kickboxing record earned him a place in the Krush Featherweight tournament, being scheduled to fight the quarterfinal bout against Kenta Yagami at Krush 26. Takeru won the fight by a counter right hook knockout in the first round. Advancing to the semifinals, Takeru faced the two-time Kyokushin karate world champion Yuzo Suzuki at Krush 27. Takeru won the fight by unanimous decision, winning two of the three rounds on the judges scorecards. He advanced to the finals, where he faced the former ISKA, RISE and AJKF champion Nobuchika Terado. Takeru won the fight by unanimous decision.
Krush Featherweight title reign His first two post-tournament fights were non-title bouts. He was first scheduled to fight Lee Solbin at Krush 30. He spent the first round landing strikes to the body with knees and punches. Takeru continued landing to Solbin's body in the second round, which resulted in a body shot knockout, near the end of the round. For his second non-title bout, Takeru was scheduled to fight Katsuya Goto at Krush 35. Takeru won the fight by a second-round knockout.
For his first title defense, Takeru was scheduled to fight Shota Kanbe at Krush 39. After a close first round, Takeru managed to knock Kanbe down in the second round. Although he was not able to finish Kanbe, Takeru nonetheless won the fight by unanimous decision. Takeru was scheduled to make his second title defense against Yuzo Suzuki at Krush 44. He thoroughly dominated his opponent, knocking him down in both the first and second rounds. Takeru won the fight by a wide unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the bout 30-25 in his favor.
Takeru was scheduled to fight a super-fight with the Krush Bantamweight champion Taiga Kawabe at K-1 World GP 2014 -65kg Championship Tournament. Takeru won the fight by a highlight reel spinning backfist, 13 seconds into the third round. In his post-fight speech, Takeru stated his wish to make kickboxing as big as football and baseball.
Takeru was scheduled to make his third and final title defense against Yuta Otaki at Krush 51. During the sole round of this high paced bout, Takeru managed to knock his opponent down twice, with Otaki finally verbally submitting 89 seconds into the fight.
K-1 Super Bantamweight champion K-1 Super Bantamweight Grand Prix Takeru was scheduled to participate in the 2015 K-1 Super Bantamweight World Grand Prix, held at K-1 World GP 2015 -55kg Championship Tournament on April 19, 2015. Takeru was scheduled to face Alexandre Prilip in the tournament quarterfinals, while the other three quarterfinal bouts were contested between Shota Takiya and Danial Williams, Nobuchika Terado and Rui Botelho, as well as between Taiga Kawabe and Soufiane El Haji.
His quarter final bout with Prilip started tentatively, before Takeru upped the pressure towards the end of the second round and scored a knockdown with a right overhand. Takeru resumed pressuring in the second round, scoring the second knockdown midway through the second round with a combination of an uppercut, body shot, and low kick. The fight was stopped as Prilip was unable to beat the eight-count.
Advancing to the semifinals, Takeru faced the former two-time Krush Super Bantamweight champion Shota Takiya. Takeru made quick work of his opponent, scoring a knockdown with a combination of punches after just 30 seconds. The fight was stopped a minute later, as Takiya was unable to continue intelligently defending himself.
Takeru faced the reigning Krush Super Bantamweight champion Taiga Kawabe in the tournament finals. The fight was a rematch of their November 3, 2014 match, which Takeru won by a third-round knockout. Takeru knocked his opponent down twice in their second meeting: the first knockdown as a result of a knee to the body in the first round, while the second knockdown was a result of a right hook in the third round. Although he was unable to finish Taiga, Takeru won the fight by a wide unanimous decision. Two of the three judges scored the bout 30-25 for Takeru, while the third judges scored it 30-26 in his favor. Combat Press would later name this fight as their 2015 "Fight of the Year".
Takeru vs. Hamech In his first appearance as a K-1 champion, Takeru was scheduled to fight a non-title bout with the reigning WBC Muaythai World Super Bantamweight champion Hakim Hamech at K-1 World GP 2015 -70kg Championship Tournament on July 4, 2015. Following a close first round, Takeru began to take over the fight from the second round onward, scoring a knockdown with a left hook at the very end of the round. He was unable to finish Hamech, but did enough to win the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges awarding him a 30-27 scorecard.
Takeru vs. Bongiovanni Takeru was scheduled to make the first, and only, career defense of his Super Bantamweight title against Charles Bongiovanni at K-1 World GP 2015 The Championship on November 21, 2015. Biongiovanni had earned the right to challenge Takeru with a first-round knockout of Danial Williams in a title eliminator match, which was contested on September 22, 2015. Takeru suffered the first knockdown of the fight midway through the first round, as he was dropped with a straight. He rebounded in the second round, scoring a standing knockdown at the 1:18 minute mark. He scored two more knockdowns over the course of the following thirty seconds, which forced the referee to stop the bout.