“I have to be at my best” - Jonathan Haggerty leaving ‘no stone unturned’ for Wei Rui clash at ONE 171: Qatar

Jonathan Haggerty knows that he'll have to be at the very top of his game if he hopes to leave with his ONE bantamweight kickboxing world championship intact.

On Thursday, February 20, 'The General' will put his 26 pounds of gold on the line when ONE Championship heads back to the Middle East for ONE 171: Qatar inside the Lusail Sports Arena. There, Haggerty will meet the bantamweight kickboxing division's top-ranked contender and one of the most accomplished strikers in the sport today, Wei Rui.

It will be another tough test for Haggerty who goes into his first fight since coming up short against Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 168: Denver in September. On that night, Haggerty suffered a brutal 49-second knockout loss, surrendering his ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title to 'The Kicking Machine' in The Mile High City.

If he hopes to keep ahold of his last remaining ONE world title, Haggerty knows he'll have to bring his A-game against the 'Demon Blade.'

Haggerty told Inside Fighting:

"To fight the best of the best, I have to be at my best, too...So that’s what we’re working on, that’s the condition we want to bring to Qatar. No stone unturned. We’re excited for this one."

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Wei Rui won't give Jonathan Haggerty the chance to bounce back at ONE 171: Qatar

There's no denying that Jonathan Haggerty is going into ONE 171 with something to prove after seeing his five-fight win streak snapped by Superlek last year.

Unfortunately, Wei Rui has no intention of letting 'The General' complete his redemption arc.

Wei told ONE in a recent interview:

"Instead of failing and then just falling apart, I believe that Haggerty won't be affected by the last fight [against Superlek]...Instead, that loss will motivate him even more. I think he's trying to prove himself with this fight. But, sorry, I won't give him that chance."

Wei goes into his second promotional appearance riding a wave of momentum after scoring a unanimous decision victory over former ONE world champion Hiroki Akimoto in May. Overall, he has 70 career wins and has captured titles under the K-1, Wu Lin Feng, and GLORY of Heroes banner.

Will the 'Demon Blade' add a ONE Championship gold to his resume in Qatar, or will Jonathan Haggerty bounce back and prove once again why he is one of the best fighters on the planet?

ONE 171: Qatar will emanate from the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar on Thursday, February 20. Head over to watch.onefc.com to learn more about how you can watch the event live.