New Delhi, Oct 13: Former ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Masaaki Noiri is taking a cautious approach to his upcoming ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix semifinal against Iran’s Mohammad Siasarani, insisting that his focus remains firmly on the next fight.
The Japanese veteran will face Siasarani at ONE SAMURAI 4 on Saturday, October 17, in Tokyo, Japan, with a place in the tournament final at stake. The Grand Prix winner will earn an opportunity to challenge reigning featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon. Noiri previously faced the Thai star in a 2025 title unification bout but suffered a decision defeat.
However, Noiri is refusing to look beyond the semifinal, particularly after witnessing Siasarani deliver a stunning performance in the quarterfinals.
The 24-year-old Iranian, who trains at Venum Training Camp and Team Mehdi Zatout, boasts a professional record of 29 wins and 13 losses, including a 10-2 record in ONE Championship. He enters the semifinal on a six-fight winning streak after knocking out Japan’s Kaito with a devastating head kick in less than 90 seconds.
The finish surprised Noiri, who had expected Siasarani to rely on his technical abilities and secure another decision victory.
“Siasarani versus Kaito was pretty shocking. Honestly, I’d expected Siasarani to probably win by decision again, but I never expected it to end in the first round like that, with one shot,” Noiri said.
The Japanese fighter acknowledged that the knockout had changed his assessment of the Iranian contender, whose range management and distance control had previously stood out to him.
“His range and distance are excellent, and I’d always pictured him as a guy who’s really strong at winning by decision, but the fact that he also has the ability to finish someone with one shot made me realize he’s a guy who has all of that,” he added.
Siasarani’s latest performance has reinforced the threat he poses in the tournament, with his technical precision and newly demonstrated finishing ability making him a dangerous opponent for the Japanese veteran.
Despite the possibility of securing a rematch with Superbon in the final, Noiri remains determined to avoid distractions and concentrate on the immediate challenge.
“I’m honestly not thinking about it that much. It’s a tournament format right now. It’s one event, one fight at a time. My next fight is Siasarani, and that’s really all I’m thinking about. I just need to properly get past Siasarani,” Noiri said.
With a place in the final on the line, Noiri will need to overcome Siasarani’s momentum and knockout threat before he can turn his attention to another potential showdown with Superbon.