Jonathan Haggerty is looking to make history in ONE Championship, and he plans to do it in style.
?The General? is set to compete for the vacant ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship against Fabricio Andrade at ONE Fight Night 15: Tawanchai vs. Superbon on Friday, October 6 ? in a battle between bantamweight kings.
Jonathan Haggerty Aiming For A Knockout Against Fabricio Andrade?
Haggerty defied the odds when he ended Nong-O Hama?s dominant reign atop the division?s Muay Thai ranks with a devastating knockout at ONE Fight Night 9 this past April. Having previously held the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title, the British banger showed the world that he could carry his skills to a new weight class. Now he wants to prove that he can do it in another sport against the bantamweight mixed martial arts king.
?Kickboxing?s not a problem for me. I?ve always liked kickboxing. I?ve got more of a kickboxing style and a Muay Thai style at the same time,? he told ONE Championship. ?I?m not just a traditional Muay Thai striker. All we?re missing out on are the elbows, but I?m sure we can catch Fabricio with a short right hand instead.?
The 26-year-old has six wins in the world?s largest martial arts organization, where he has exclusively competed in Muay Thai. While he is known for his iconic teeps and elbows, it was his hands that put Nong-O down in his latest performance. And Haggerty plans to put them to good use while wearing bigger gloves against Andrade. For his part, ?Wonder Boy? has been unstoppable in his MMA run in the promotion, but he?s not a newcomer to the striking arts.
Fabricio Andrade poses significant threats for Haggerty
The Brazilian star has 40 wins under his belt in Muay Thai and kickboxing, and he has competed in various promotions all over the world. While he is training in multiple facets of the fight game, his striking prowess has always been his main weapon, and four of his six wins in ONE have come by way of knockout.
Haggerty believes Andrade will have a tough time adjusting back to kickboxing, however. Despite recognizing his toughness, the Orpington native promises to do everything in his power to add another knockout to his resume. ?I?m a fighter. I get in there, and I adapt to anything, so I?m excited about it. I?m excited about the big gloves, too. It?s going to be a lot of fun and a new challenge. It?s going to take a lot more to knock him out, but we will get it done,? Haggerty said.
