Japanese flyweight kickboxing star Hyu has expressed skepticism regarding his upcoming opponent, Taiki Naito.
Known as ‘Mister Pepper,’ Hyu aims to maintain his flawless 5-0 record within the promotion against ‘Silent Sniper’ in their scheduled three-round match at ONE SAMURAI 1, set for April 29 at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.
Hyu approaches the fight with high confidence, boasting an impressive career record of 13-0.
His promotional victories include four highlight-reel finishes. In his most recent appearance, the 23-year-old knocked out Thai veteran Suablack Tor Pran49 at ONE Fight Night 41.
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Nonetheless, Naito is a formidable opponent. The 30-year-old veteran arrives with consecutive victories, including a notable first-round knockout of Nakrob Fairtex.
Renowned for his precise counter-striking and veteran poise, Naito poses a challenge, though Hyu believes he holds an advantage.
In a pre-event interview with ONE Championship, the Team Mehdi Zatout and TEAM3K representative stated:
“He’s a defense-first fighter, but when he does let [the left hook] go, he commits fully. I’m making sure I don’t get caught with a flash knockdown from that. He’s weak against physical exchanges, body-to-body contact. And the only real threat in his attack is that left hook.”
Hyu further elaborated:
“Funnily enough, his left hook being his strength actually becomes an opportunity for me to land my counter. So overall, he has more weaknesses than strengths.”
Hyu anticipates an all-Japan showdown with Taiki Naito will captivate audiences
Hyu and Taiki Naito have exchanged words leading into their fight, setting the stage for an exciting encounter.
‘Mister Pepper’ believes this matchup could be the highlight of the event’s lineup.
“When the possibility of fighting him came up, there was a lot of fan noise about wanting to see that fight. And even from when I first came to ONE, I started hearing voices saying they wanted to see me against Naito. Naito is the one who stands out the most among Japanese fighters. I’m fully aware of that,” he told ONE.
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Edited by Aziel Karthak
