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Teenage sensation Johan Ghazali anticipates nothing less than a complete barnburner when he collides with Josue Cruz at ONE 168: Denver. The 17-year-old striker is itching to get his career back on track this September, after surrendering his first promotional loss to flyweight veteran Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat at ONE 167.
Although facing an experienced fighter like 'No. 1' has proven to be a problem in the past, Ghazali isn't worried about what could be in store for him against another seasoned veteran like Josue Cruz.
Speaking to ONE, Ghazali answered why he accepted a quick turnaround against Cruz, saying:
"Of course, you know, why not? Josue Cruz is an experienced fighter. He's almost a decade older than me. He's got experience. And yeah, I think it'll be a fun fight. He's an aggressive fighter, too."
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Given the circumstances, Ghazali has the potential to give Cruz a run for his money. Before encountering Nguyen, the Malaysian-American standout had racked up an impressive streak of five wins and no losses in the world's largest martial arts organization.
A Friday Fights kid, Ghazali has the right type of hunger and passion that you can't fake. On Sept. 6, he hopes to make his fans proud with a confident version of himself at ONE 168.
Tickets for ONE 168: Denver are available here, via Ticketmaster
"I do it for the fans" - Johan Ghazali apologizes to his Malyasian fan-base for disappointing performance at ONE 167
Johan Ghazali left the stadium at ONE 167 feeling sorely disappointed in his performance.
Despite going the distance with his opponent, his inexperience shone through. There is no doubt that Ghazali has a dangerous striking arsenal that could easily change the direction of a fight. Unfortunately, he didn't find it against Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat.
The South Korean slugger got his way by staying patient and keeping Ghazali at range.
Apologizing to the fans in the aftermath, Ghazali told his fans via ONE Championship:
"Sorry to all the Malaysian fans who came out from Malaysia all the way to Bangkok to support me. I 100 percent felt their support in there. Keep on supporting me. I do it for the fans."
