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Johan Ghazali believes he needs a statement-making performance at ONE 168: Denver. On June 7, Ghazali looked to extend his ONE Championship record to 6-0, with four previous wins coming by KO/TKO.
The 18-year-old's latest challenge was against the battle-tested Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat, who was glowing with confidence heading into the matchup at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II on Prime Video.
Ghazali showcased high-level skills in round one before Nguyen started to build momentum. Once the three rounds concluded, the judges awarded Nguyen with a unanimous decision win, handing Ghazali his first promotional setback.
Next Friday, Ghazali returns to action when ONE Championship travels to North America for ONE 168: Denver. The 17-year-old's upcoming opponent is Josue Cruz, who plans to capitalize on the added attention in this matchup.
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During an interview with Sportskeeda, Ghazali had this to say about wanting more than a win to silence the doubters:
"Saying I just want a win would be a bit of an understatement, really. I feel like I need to prove something. That’s why I’ve stayed away from a lot of the other stuff except training for this fight. My mind’s only focused on that."
ONE 168 will showcase two world title fights inside the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado - Jonathan Haggerty (c) vs. Superlek (bantamweight Muay Thai) and Kade Ruotolo (c) vs. Mikey Musumeci (lightweight submission grappling).
Tickets for the must-see event also featuring Johan Ghazali can be found on Ticketmaster.
Josue Cruz arguably needs a win at ONE 168: Denver more than Johan Ghazali
Josue Cruz's ONE Championship tenure hasn't gone as planned.
Since May 2022, the Mexican flyweight has fought twice, suffering first-round knockout defeats against Walter Goncalves and Sean Climaco.
Luckily for Cruz, he has a massive opportunity to turn things around at ONE 168: Denver. With a knockout win against Johan Ghazali, the 28-year-old would prove he belongs against the best flyweight Muay Thai fighters.
It'll be easier said than done for Cruz, as Ghazali gained invaluable experience in his war against Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat. The North American fans should anticipate an entertaining battle, with the judges likely not being needed.
