Yoshiki Takei vs Yuttapong Tongdee Predictions: Kickboxing meets Muay Thai in a boxing ring

Yoshiki Takei will defend the WBO bantamweight championship against Yuttapong Tongdee on Wednesday, May 28 at Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama Japan. DAZN will screen the card live, which is headlined by Eduardo Nunez vs. Masanori Rikiishi.

Here are my Yoshiki Takei vs. Yuttapong Tongdee predictions ahead of this combat sports culture clash.

Yoshiki Takei vs. Yuttapong Tongdee Odds

Takei leads the way at 1/20 while Tongdee is out at 8/1. The draw is priced at 20/1.

Yoshiki Takei vs. Yuttapong Tongdee Fight Preview

This bout brings together two boxers who have excelled at the highest level in other fighting codes. But unlike the washed-up UFC fighters queuing up for a crack at Jake Paul, this is anything but a novelty match-up.

Takei is a former K1 Super Bantamweight Champion and two-time K1 Grand Prix winner in kickboxing. At the time of his retirement, to pursue boxing, he was ranked eighth on the K1 pound-for-pound list. 

Tongdee is a former Rajadamnern Stadium Light Flyweight Champion in Muay Thai. Rajadamnern is one of the two main stadiums for the sport in Thailand and has operated since 1945.

A match-up between these two brings to mind the early days of the UFC, before Mixed Martial Arts became a hybrid discipline unto itself. In the early 1990s, one would often see top-level proponents from different sports meet in the nascent Octagon. 

But far from the no-holds-barred UFC of yore, boxing is a regulated and codified sport with clear ground rules. As educated as their feet are, do not expect to see Takei or Tongdee launching a kick on Wednesday. These men face off on merit due to what they can do with their fists.

Champion Takei has risen fast, his K1 notoriety helping him secure good fights on big shows. But it almost blew up in his face when he challenged Jason Moloney for the WBO championship a year ago. The Australian had Takei out on his feet in the final round, with the Japanese star holding on to triumph by unanimous decision and lift the crown.

Takei’s first defence was more of the same. The 12th round was pivotal again but this time it was the fact that the WBO kingpin won it that swung the fight. Daigo Higa had him down in the 11th, but a dominant last session was enough for Takei to edge the fight.

Takei’s struggles late in fights are perhaps becoming more obvious now he spends more time in the ring. Six of his first eight fights ended in the first three rounds. Now Takei’s last two have gone to the cards. A lack of power at world level? Or an indication that Takei is fighting opponents far better than most 10-0 boxers do?

Tongdee has had a steadier time of it. The Thai star is 15-0 with nine knockouts. Tongdee’s level of competition is inferior, which explains his underdog status. Much of his opposition has been of the journeyman variety. 

This is an exciting opportunity to see one of Japanese boxing’s rising stars. Takei has been a fixture on Naoya Inoue’s undercards and will be a familiar face to many. Tongdee is fighting outside Thailand for the first time and enters as a little-known quantity. Can Takei handle the pressure of knowing this is expected to be a showcase for him?

Yoshiki Takei vs. Yuttapong Tongdee Full Card

Eduardo Nunez vs. Masanori Rikiishi

Yoshiki Takei vs. Yuttapong Tongdee

Tsubasa Narai vs. Yuna Hara

Ryu Isogane vs. Tomoya Yamamoto

Kazuma Aratake vs. Kitidech Hirunsuk

Ryuto Yamada vs. Suriya Kraimanee

Yoshiki Takei vs. Yuttapong Tongdee Prediction

Takei needs to show something here. A lot of his learning has been done under a harsh spotlight. But his tendency to fade in fights, albeit he pulled it back against Daiga, is exploitable. 

I am not convinced Tongdee exploits it. He has built a steady career from beating poor opposition, perhaps trading on his Muay Thai fame a little. But Takei has proved himself as a world level competitor as a boxer, despite the leg-up he’s had from K1.

The Moloney and Daiga wins, as hard-fought as they were, say a lot about Takei. That is excellent opposition to defeat in your first two world title fights. I think he will beat Tongdee at 1/20. The real test will be how he looks in doing so. 

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