—This will be your first new years eve fight since 2009?
I am very happy to be fighting on this card. There aren’t many K1 rules fights on the card, so I want to excite the fans with a good fight. There are a lot of fans who have known about me since I was a high school student, so I want to show them just how far I have come. I want to leave a lasting impact on them with this fight.

—Your opponent is a very irregular style of fighter. What steps have you taken to prepare for this match?
I’ve been watching his videos every night before I sleep, and before every practice. I’ve had my little brother and my other team mates spar with me southpaw, mirroring his movements. My training has been spot on perfect and my preparation solid.

—Your opponent has said you are an easy fighter to fight against.
I don’t fight like an irregular fighter, so I might be easier to fight then others, but the steps we have taken and the preparation for this fight mean that I won’t have a problem with him. Nishiura is a southpaw with a strong right hook. He has the ability to close the gap quickly, flying in with that hook, which can knock you out if caught. I’ve really been paying attention to punching in training.

—What kind of relationship do you have with fellow K1 fighter Takeru have?
I talked about this only yesterday, but we go out to eat with each other after fights, as well as talking about weight etc. We encourage each other to be the best fighters we can be.

—Apart from your own fight, are there any other fights that you are looking forward to?
Without a doubt, the main event with Sakuraba. We were on a TV commercial shoot together so I know him personally, and I am going to be cheering him on. I also want Takeru to win, so we can both show how good K1 is.

—Lastly, could you tell us your thoughts on the match itself?
I am so happy to be chosen to fight on this card. I want to show the world the rebirth of both K1 and Hiroya, and hope everyone can look forward to this as I put on a good fight.