After Takeru vs Superlek, is it safe to say Masato is the GOAT Japanese kickboxer?

[Doctor Grudge]

Show me a fight where Masato looked one tenth as bad as Takeru did checking kicks though.

I mean Tenshin's really good so, but I just don't think he would be undefeated if he fought Masato's competition.

Kind of sounds like K1 romanticism. I definitely disagree that Masato fought tougher competition. More marketable doesn't mean better.

Maybe Masato fought the best fighter among the two, or maybe even the two best fighters, but on average I think Tenshin fought tougher guys.

 

[Snubnoze707]

Reminder Masato retired at 30.

That's so crazy to think about. Got out on top at an early age and STAYED out. Pretty unheard of in this sport.

Meanwhile Buakaw STILL fighting, even if he did take the foot off the gas a bit.

 

[CaptainRomania]

I mean Tenshin's really good so, but I just don't think he would be undefeated if he fought Masato's competition.

Probably not, but it is impressive to beat elite stadium thais at flyweight, even if you froce them in kickboxing rules, and other Tenshin related nonsense. Masato went life and death with nak muay from one of the shallower divisions in MT, he'd probably have a few more losses (or robgberies) if he fought 155 versions of Suakim, Wanchalong, Kumandoi, Rodtang.
and who says Takeru is goat japanese kickboxer lol

 

[JustOnce]

Kind of sounds like K1 romanticism. I definitely disagree that Masato fought tougher competition. More marketable doesn't mean better.

Maybe Masato fought the best fighter among the two, or maybe even the two best fighters, but on average I think Tenshin fought tougher guys.

well, I don't know, i guess it's hard to compare, but k-1 max for life!

 

[JustOnce]

That's so crazy to think about. Got out on top at an early age and STAYED out. Pretty unheard of in this sport.

Meanwhile Buakaw STILL fighting, even if he did take the foot off the gas a bit.

Masato did fight Gomi a while back, but not like Buakaw beating on Saenchai who's like half his size lmaaao.

 

[JustOnce]

Probably not, but it is impressive to beat elite stadium thais at flyweight, even if you froce them in kickboxing rules, and other Tenshin related nonsense. Masato went life and death with nak muay from one of the shallower divisions in MT, he'd probably have a few more losses (or robgberies) if he fought 155 versions of Suakim, Wanchalong, Kumandoi, Rodtang.
and who says Takeru is goat japanese kickboxer lol

Not sure Tenshin even beat Rodtang but let's not go there lol

well takeru was p4p number 2 around here. masato never was.

 

[KID Yamamoto]

Show me a fight where Masato looked one tenth as bad as Takeru did checking kicks though.

I mean Tenshin's really good so, but I just don't think he would be undefeated if he fought Masato's competition.

Masato vs Souwer all 3 times and for sure the Buakaw fights. Takeru has a better outside kick game then Masato aswell (Masato has the cleaner boxing however)

I 100% favor Tenshin over high guard boxers like Souwer and Krause. He beat Shiro x2 so I can easily see him beating Sato aswell.

 

[JustOnce]

Masato vs Souwer all 3 times and for sure the Buakaw fights. Takeru has a better outside kick game then Masato aswell (Masato has the cleaner boxing however)

I 100% favor Tenshin over high guard boxers like Souwer and Krause. He beat Shiro x2 so I can easily see him beating Sato aswell.

all i know is Takeru didn't look like he ever checked a low kick in his entire life in his last fight, and Masato never in his career looked remotely close to that.

Hard to say, Krause probably, Sower, who knows.

 

[KID Yamamoto]

all i know is Takeru didn't look like he ever checked a low kick in his entire life in his last fight, and Masato never in his career looked remotely close to that.

Hard to say, Krause probably, Sower, who knows.

Takeru Injured his knee checking a kick from Superlek. His leg/knee was broken round 1 and he fought until the very end even stealing the middle round. Masato has been TKO'd by leg kicks before and always struggled with them.

Tenshin's fought the whos who of his division. Probably one of the most solid resumes in kickboxing ever. Easily the best guy to compete at 118-122. The only guy skill wise i'd say matches him at those weights is Kazuki Osaki who Tenshin is a little bit bigger than.

 

[KID Yamamoto]

Kaneko is also the much more "Masato" like champion for K-1 right now. Takeru is a violent pretty boy but Kaneko is literally from Silver wolf

 

[JustOnce]

Takeru Injured his knee checking a kick from Superlek. His leg/knee was broken round 1 and he fought until the very end even stealing the middle round. Masato has been TKO'd by leg kicks before and always struggled with them.

Tenshin's fought the whos who of his division. Probably one of the most solid resumes in kickboxing ever. Easily the best guy to compete at 118-122. The only guy skill wise i'd say matches him at those weights is Kazuki Osaki who Tenshin is a little bit bigger than.

all I was commenting on his last fight, I didn't know about his injury but he was getting beat up from round 1 though.

he had a good flurry yeah but he still didn't look like he checked his kicks before.

Masato fought in a better era and fought everyone though.

 

[KID Yamamoto]

all I was commenting on his last fight, I didn't know about his injury but he was getting beat up from round 1 though.

he had a good flurry yeah but he still didn't look like he checked his kicks before.

Masato fought in a better era and fought everyone though

K-1 MAX and modern 122-118lbs kick are about equal now to be honest. The talent and skills coming out of these divisions is insane. Personally in my eyes there was never guy in MAX with a tool kit as deep as Kazuki Osaki's barring like maybe Petrosyan.

 

[Juzie]

Not sure Tenshin even beat Rodtang but let's not go there lol

well takeru was p4p number 2 around here. masato never was.

He absolutely lost that and most the people who scored it for Tenshin have no idea how to score a JKick fight lol.

 

[Nova44]

He absolutely lost that and most the people who scored it for Tenshin have no idea how to score a JKick fight lol.

This coming from the guy who thinks Leon Edwards beats Devin Haney and Sugar Ray Robinson in boxing.

 

[gioni]

Masato is legit, Takeru is a good fighter, but not in the top 3 probably in the division.