“Will Rise to the Same Height” – Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat Acknowledges Johan Ghazali’s Similarities to Rodtang, Ready for a Serious Battle With Him at ONE 167

Vietnamese standout “No. 1” Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat aims to put an abrupt end to Johan “Jojo” Ghazali’s hype train at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut on Prime Video.

The pair are set to square off in an intriguing flyweight Muay Thai tilt on June 7 in U.S. primetime at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat hypes up Johan Ghazali

For Tran Duy Nhat, the fight represents the opportunity to take out perhaps the sport’s most promising rising star. At just 17 years old, the Malaysian-American phenom already boasts five wins in ONE Championship, including four highlight-reel finishes.

The 35-year-old veteran is quick to praise his teenaged foe, well aware of the prodigious athletic gifts and preternatural striking skill he will bring to the contest:

“Johan Ghazali is a young one that is absolutely on the rise. He is strong, fast, and athletic, probably a great combination from his Malay and Westerner parents. His knockout power is no joke, either. In comparison, I’m not as athletic as he is. A fight with him is not going to be easy. 

“Johan started training and fighting when he was just a boy, so even with the age difference, I won’t treat him like a young fighter with little experience.”

For his part, Tran Duy Nhat is no pushover. A five-time WMF Muay Thai Champion and 2021 SEA Games Gold Medalist, “No. 1” has seen and done it all in the sport of Muay Thai.

“No. 1” believes “Jojo” is like Rodtang Jitmuangnon

He knows that Ghazali has often been compared to long-reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangon and admits the similarities between the two knockout artists are clear:

“Yes, Johan’s style is quite similar to Rodtang. Both have nice striking skills, knockout power, the same aggressiveness, and a crazy ability to absorb damage. I can see why people are comparing them. 

“He is no doubt a talented fighter. I do believe one day, he will rise to the same height as Rodtang.”

Beyond the comparison to Rodtang, Tran Duy Nhat says that “Jojo” is similar to a younger version of himself.

He added, “Johan is brave, aggressive, and puts a lot of pressure on his opponents. It reminds me of how I had fought in my younger years as a fighter.”