“Is a Knockout Guaranteed?”- Anatoly Malykhin Seals Fate of Jonathan Haggerty vs. Superlek Ahead of ONE 168: Denver

Two-sport ONE Bantamweight World Champion Jonathan Haggerty’s fight against “The Kicking Machine” Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 168: Denver is considered one of the biggest fights of the year. Fans and critics are eagerly awaiting the September 6th showdown to see if Haggerty can maintain his hold of the Muay Thai title or if Superlek will add another World Championship to his resume.

This highly anticipated card has even caught the attention of three-division MMA World Champion Anatoly Malykhin, who will face “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane at ONE 169: Atlanta, just two months after the Denver event. Malykhin recently shared his thoughts on the upcoming Muay Thai World Title bout.

In a recent interview with ONE Championship, Malykhin expressed his inability to predict the outcome of the Jonathan Haggerty vs. Superlek Kiatoo9 fight. He stated, “Who will win? Only the gods will decide that day. Is a knockout guaranteed? I think this fight will go the distance.”

This is the second time Haggerty is defending his ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Title since winning it from Nong-O Hama. He previously defended the title with a knockout victory against Felipe Lobo at ONE Fight Night 19.

Meanwhile, ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 reigned supreme in the flyweight division, defeating top contenders like Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Japanese kickboxing star Takeru Segawa. Now, Superlek decided to move up the bantamweight division to try to dethrone Haggerty and expand his dominance. 

 Jonathan Haggerty reveals his true intentions before the Superlek fight

This isn’t the first time Jonathan Haggerty and Superlek Kiatmoo9 will stand across from each other in a match. They previously fought outside ONE Championship in 2018, where Superlek defeated Haggerty in the second round because of a doctor stoppage. Haggerty suffered a cut above his eye caused by Superlek’s punches and elbows.

Since then, both fighters have significantly evolved. Jonathan Haggerty is now a two-sport ONE Bantamweight World Champion, having previously held the ONE flyweight Muay Thai title before moving up in weight.

Jonathan Haggerty is driven by revenge in his upcoming bout, which he made known at the ONE Friday Fights 72 live broadcast. Haggerty stated, “This time, I’m coming for revenge. He’s going to bring the fire out of me, and may the best man win for sure.” In past interviews, Jonathan Haggerty claimed that his decision to take the fight against Superlek was a gamble, saying that the fight came too soon for him, and he wasn’t fully prepared to face someone of Superlek’s caliber.

Indeed, both fighters are looking in shape, and their records are impressive. Like Anatoly Malykhin, many are eager to predict the outcome of Jonathan Haggerty vs. Superlek Kiatmoo9. We’ll have to wait until September 6th at 8 PM EDT to find out. Stay tuned.