‘My Biggest Motivation’ – How Takeru Segawa Turns Every Fight Into Hope For Children In Need

Takeru was once a teenager with a dream and very little else. The chance to pursue it changed his life, and the Team Vasileus fighter has spent his career making sure others get the same.

That chance, he knows, is not guaranteed for every child. For a man who has seen the full spectrum — from Japanese childcare facilities to the villages of Laos and the flood-ravaged communities of Myanmar — the mission is never limited by geography:

“One of my biggest focuses is to support children. When you are a child in Japan, normally you would go to school and be able to eat. Parents take care of children, and children are able to do things freely.

“But when you look at other countries, there are places where children have to earn money themselves, or they don’t have an environment where they can pursue their dreams, or they cannot even afford to eat.”

The Way Of The Warrior

For Takeru, the gap between what he has achieved and what some children will never get to attempt is not something he can ignore. It sits with him. The Bushido spirit he has carried his entire life does not allow him to look away.

The awareness came from seeing it firsthand. And once he saw it, the only question left was what he was going to do about it.

He said:

“As a fighter, thinking that such children exist makes me sad. So this is how I started those kinds of activities, and my biggest motivation to continue with those [kind of acts] comes from this – the kids.

“My success as a fighter was because I was healthy and able to seek my dreams.”

That purpose runs deeper than most know. For years, Takeru managed depression and panic disorder alone. When he finally spoke up, it was not for recognition — it was for every person suffering in silence who needed proof that it was possible to keep going.

The final bell of his career will ring at ONE SAMURAI 1 on April 29. But when the gloves come off for good, he will do his best to continue touching the hearts of millions through his generosity.

He said:

“The dream for me is to bring the combat sports world together as one.

“And if I could provide an environment to children where they can have dreams with the money I earned as a martial artist, then that would give meaning to me.”

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