"I’m going to come out of the blocks explosive" – Jonathan Haggerty aims to "get the job done" against Felipe Lobo early

ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Jonathan Haggerty has no plans of taking his upcoming title defense to extended time, going for an early finish of challenger Felipe Lobo.

‘The General’ will defend his world title against ‘The Demolition Man’ at ONE Fight Night 19 on Prime Video on February 16 at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

It will be Haggerty's first defense of of the championship belt he seized in April last year by knockout over former longtime champion Nong-O Hama.

At ONE Fight Night 19, the British striker is out to get a win that will keep his standing as a two-sport ONE world champion, having added the vacant bantamweight kickboxing gold back in November with a second-round KO of the division’s MMA king Fabricio Andrade in their all-champion clash.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Jonathan Haggerty conveyed his frame of mind heading into his title showdown with Lobo, sharing:

“I’m going to come out of the blocks explosive, find the shots early in round one, and hopefully find what I’m looking for to get the job done. I always prepare for a five-round fight, but if you can get it done in round one or round two, then why not?”

At ONE Fight Night 19, Haggerty will be going up against an opponent in Lobo who is taking another crack at the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title after coming up short the first time.

The 30-year-old Brazilian fighter challenged former champion Nong-O in March 2022 but was KO’d in the third round. But he bounced back in his next fight, fashioning a third-round knockout of his own against Thai Saemapetch Fairtex in April last year.

ONE Fight Night 19 will air live in US primetime on February 16, free of charge for existing Prime Video subscribers in North America.

---

Jonathan Haggerty vows to make Felipe Lobo work at ONE Fight Night 19

British champion striker Jonathan Haggerty is bringing the thunder from start to finish when he defends the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title later this month. And he wants challenger Felipe Lobo to be fully aware of that.

The two will headline ONE Fight Night 19 on Prime Video on February 16 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Heading into the marquee contest, ‘The General’ warned that he has Lobo read as a fighter and would make full use of what he knows about him to make him work throughout and send him to defeat.

Jonathan Haggerty told ONE Championship:

“I feel like Felipe starts very slow, and he’s got a very Thai boxing style, but you can’t relax like that against me.If you put it on him, he doesn’t like it, and he’s going to crumble.”

Orpington, England, native Haggerty became bantamweight Muay Thai world champion in April last year by knocking out longtime champion Nong-O Hama in the opening round.

He then added the vacant ONE bantamweight kickboxing gold in November to his mantle, in the process becoming a two-sport world champion