Mexican Muay Thai star Josue Cruz “Tuzo” knows he’s in for an all-out war on September 6 at ONE 168: Denver. The Mexicana sensation is currently riding a two-fight losing streak but is willing to win in his next endeavor

That night, live in North American primetime from Ball Arena, the 28-year-old will square off with teenage phenom Johan “Jojo” Ghazali in a flyweight Muay Thai clash that has fireworks written all over it.

Josue Cruz and Johan Ghazali are set for an explosive showdown at ONE 168

The first-ever Mexican athlete to be signed by ONE Championship, Cruz has earned the reputation of a fearless, all-action brawler who is willing to throw himself into harm’s way in order to land his strikes.

He says that he’ll have a willing dance partner when he takes on Ghazali in the Mile High City: “Johan is always going forward and never retreats. He’s always looking for the knockout. Due to his style, I know it’s going to be an intense fight. He’s not going to retreat and neither will I. The fight is going to be filled with a lot of adrenaline and we’re going to trade shots.”

After compiling an impressive 17-0 record on the Mexican regional scene, “Tuzo” has struggled against the division’s elite and is still in search of his first victory inside the world’s largest martial arts organization.

His foe at ONE 168 is one of the most hyped rising stars in recent memory, having showcased immense power and preternatural talent on his way to a 5-fight winning streak in ONE Muay Thai bouts.

Analyzing Cruz’s strategy against Ghazali

However, in his most recent appearance, Ghazali dropped a hard-fought decision to Vietnamese veteran Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat. Josue Cruz has carefully studied that fight and believes he can exploit the weaknesses that “Jojo” revealed. In particular, he says that the teen struggled to overcome adversity once the going got tough.

Given “Tuzo’s” warrior spirit and drive to pick up his first win in ONE, he thinks he has a clear path to victory on September 6. He added: He’s a complete fighter and doesn’t have many weaknesses, but I did notice that he lost his focus in his last fight. He seemed stressed that things weren’t going his way.

He further added, “I’m going to take advantage of that and make sure to capitalize on the moments when he gets desperate.” What’s your take on Cruz’s situation? State your thoughts in the comments below.