There is more to every fight than results for Takeru “Natural Born Krusher” Segawa. The victories fund the missions, while the platform builds the purpose — a better world for the children who need it most.
The former three-division K-1 Champion faces Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon in a rematch for the ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Title at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena on Wednesday, April 29.
Before the curtain falls on one of Japanese kickboxing’s most decorated careers in the main event of ONE SAMURAI 1, available live via pay-per-view, the 34-year-old wants to give underprivileged kids another reason to dream big.
Beyond the fighter who dismantles opponents with calculated aggression and knockout power, he makes the world a better place through kindness, compassion, and love.
Takeru has shown up at schools in Vietnam to inspire students with special needs. Last year, he helped build a school in Laos after pledging to donate a large portion of his earnings from his super-fight against Rodtang at ONE 172 in Saitama. He has helped flood victims in Laos and Myanmar too, with particular attention to the children in need.
“I think the persona I have [outside fighting] is completely different from when I am in the ring.
“In normal life, I actually don’t like fighting, and I love it when everyone is together, laughing, and having a good time. Yet when I am in the ring, I like fighting, so I am a completely opposite person inside and outside the ring.”
The motivation behind every gesture comes from a deeply personal place, and the charitable efforts across Asia earned him the 2025 Victoria Lee Award.
Takeru was once a teenager with a dream and very little else. The chance to pursue it changed his life, and the Team Vasileus fighter has spent his career making sure others get the same.
That chance, he knows, is not guaranteed for every child. For a man who has seen the full spectrum — from Japanese childcare facilities to the villages of Laos and the flood-ravaged communities of Myanmar — the mission is never limited by geography:
“One of my biggest focuses is to support children. When you are a child in Japan, normally you would go to school and be able to eat. Parents take care of children, and children are able to do things freely.
“But when you look at other countries, there are places where children have to earn money themselves, or they don’t have an environment where they can pursue their dreams, or they cannot even afford to eat.”
For Takeru, the gap between what he has achieved and what some children will never get to attempt is not something he can ignore. It sits with him. The Bushido spirit he has carried his entire life does not allow him to look away.
The awareness came from seeing it firsthand. And once he saw it, the only question left was what he was going to do about it.
“As a fighter, thinking that such children exist makes me sad. So this is how I started those kinds of activities, and my biggest motivation to continue with those [kind of acts] comes from this – the kids.
“My success as a fighter was because I was healthy and able to seek my dreams.”
That purpose runs deeper than most know. For years, Takeru managed depression and panic disorder alone. When he finally spoke up, it was not for recognition — it was for every person suffering in silence who needed proof that it was possible to keep going.
The final bell of his career will ring at ONE SAMURAI 1 on April 29. But when the gloves come off for good, he will do his best to continue touching the hearts of millions through his generosity.
“The dream for me is to bring the combat sports world together as one.
“And if I could provide an environment to children where they can have dreams with the money I earned as a martial artist, then that would give meaning to me.”