ONE 173 post-fight breakdown: Takeru delivers a statement in Tokyo with round two destruction of Denis Puric

Japanese kickboxing megastar and second-ranked flyweight kickboxing contender Takeru Segawa made good on his promise to put on a career-defining performance on the star-studded ONE 173 card in Tokyo, Japan.

The former three-division K-1 champion saw off Bosnian-Canadian veteran Denis Puric in the dying seconds of round two to return to the winner's column in the world's largest martial arts organization.

'The Bosnian Menace' brought his usual high-octane approach into this fight, advancing against the hometown hero inside the Ariake Arena with aggression. He swung in with big overhands and hooks in an attempt to hand the Team Vasileus megastar another crushing defeat in 'The Land of the Rising Sun.'

His tactic badly backfired, unfortunately. As he dropped his guard to connect with a thumping fist, Takeru touched him with a left hook that drew a huge reaction from the jam-packed arena.

Puric soldiered on with volume, but 'Natural Born Krusher' didn't dance to the same beat. Instead, the 34-year-old stayed composed and read Puric like a textbook.

However, it didn't take him long to go berserk with his lightning-quick kicks that came at the blink of an eye. Off that success, Takeru switched gears and went to work with his hands, which resulted in the fight's first knockdown.

Puric survived the count, but just before the end of the first frame, the 40-year-old Soi Dogs MMA representative was hit by another sneaky right down the middle that sent him to the canvas for a second eight-count.

Takeru's hands were as destructive as they could get. But his leg kicks were producing similar mayhem downstairs. Puric absorbed more kicks to his lead leg as round two got underway, but another sequence of shots to his legs wobbled him momentarily.

Puric dug deep to soldier on. But 'Natural Born Krusher' sensed his foe in danger and continued his merciless output to the legs. 'The Bosnian Menace' rose once again, but Takeru floored him with another savage kicking combination seconds later.

From there, it was Takeru's fight to lose. The Tokyo-based fighter was one knockdown away from securing the TKO, and he sent a final wave of attacks downstairs to emerge victorious in this flyweight kickboxing tilt at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri.

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Official result: Takeru Segawa defeats Denis Puric via TKO (4 knockdowns in a bout) at 2:49 of round two

For his fine highlight-reel triumph on home soil, his 30th career knockout, Takeru walked away with a US$50,000 performance bonus from ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.

The Japanese slugger also declared that his next fight in the world's largest martial arts organization will be the final fight of his career. 'Natural Born Krusher' wants a final dance against Rodtang to avenge his shocking loss to 'The Iron Man' at ONE 172 in Saitama earlier this year.

Whether or not that fight comes to fruition remains to be seen. However, if he can keep up the same output, hunger, and accuracy against Rodtang just as he did to Puric, the former three-division K-1 world champion could ride off into the sunset with the sweetest victory of his legendary career.