'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABP/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAz6YV/wD/xAAiEAACAQMCBwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgQDBRIABhEhIzNBUoH/2gAIAQEAAT8Ah2OhTgQ6lrRRIW3PGYyjmveAyUKB5LfG024bpAYwzCszmP0shGQcceXpr//EABcRAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAiH/2gAIAQIBAT8ArZTP/8QAFxEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgEAEf/aAAgBAwEBPwAqlcm//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Jonathan Haggerty never knew how to take it easy, even when he was still fighting under the kids’ bracket.
The reigning ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion recalled a memory when he was disqualified from a tournament when he hit his opponent too hard during an amateur tournament.
In an interview with FirstSportz MMA, Haggerty said he entered an amateur kickboxing competition, but the stint ended after officials deemed he was fighting in a way that kids at that age shouldn’t be doing.
Trending
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Haggerty said:
“I remember once I had an amateur kickboxing fight. This was actually a kickboxing fight. My first ever fight was semi-contact or light contact. I got taken to the venue, and I had all the full armor on, and I was hitting too hard, and I got disqualified for hitting too hard. So I didn't really enjoy that part of it.”
It was that bitter memory that led to Haggerty jumping into Muay Thai. He continued:
“So I think that's why I sort of went to Thai boxing, started doing inter clubs, and then just building up from there. Really it's like I had bragging rights, like come on, I got disqualified because of hitting too hard. For me, it was a compliment.”
Fortunately for Haggerty, that killer’s mentality stayed with him into adulthood, and he’s now one of the best fighters that England has ever produced.
The 26-year-old is now a two-division world champion, and the former ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion has a chance to capture another world title in his next outing.
Haggerty will take on Fabricio Andrade, the ONE bantamweight MMA world champion, in a champion vs. champion super fight at ONE Fight Night 16 on Friday, US primetime, at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
The two world champions will contend for the vacant ONE bantamweight kickboxing world title in the card’s main event.
ONE Fight Night 16 is available live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.
Watch Haggerty's entire interview below:
