Hyu Faces Hitachi After First Career Loss

Japanese flyweight kickboxer Hyu gets his chance to move past the first loss of his professional career when he meets ONE Championship newcomer Hyuma Hitachi at ONE SAMURAI 3 in Yokohama on September 12.

The 23-year-old stormed through his first five ONE appearances with four knockouts before countryman Taiki Naito handed him a three-round decision defeat at ONE SAMURAI 1 earlier this year, according to BJPenn.com. That loss snapped a streak built on wins over Leandro Miranda, Zakaria El Jamari, Jordan Estupinan, and Suablack Tor Pran49.

Hitachi Brings Boxing-Heavy Attack

Hitachi enters his promotional debut with a boxing-first style honed specifically to sharpen his kickboxing foundation, per the report. His knockout of Yuki Kasahara showed what those relentless hand combinations can produce when he closes distance early.

The matchup sets up a stark contrast in approaches. Hyu works off angles and improvisation, while Hitachi prefers pressing forward and imposing his hands from the opening bell. Neither man has faced the other before, leaving both camps to prepare off footage rather than shared history.

The bout sits on a stacked ONE SAMURAI 3 card at Yokohama Buntai that also features reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai champion Nadaka making his kickboxing debut and a flyweight Muay Thai clash between Shimon Yoshinari and Suablack Tor Pran49. First bell is set for Saturday, September 12.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Hyu’s near-flawless kickboxing run meets its next test in Yokohama