“It was a crazy ride” - Jonathan Haggerty relives intense battle against Felipe Lobo

ONE bantamweight Muay Thai wolrd champion Jonathan Haggerty successfully defended his world title against Brazilian challenger Felipe Lobo by TKO in his last fight. It was a contest that he admitted he was challenged but nonetheless had fun in.

'The General' stopped the 'Demolition Man' in the third round of their headlining contest at ONE Fight Night 19 on Feb. 16 at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Haggerty encountered early trouble against Lobo, who connected on a solid uppercut late in the opening round that sent the champion sitting on the ropes and given the count. However, he was able to answer it and proceed to survive the round.

The British striker bounced back in the next two rounds that ultimately saw him send Lobo to the canvas with 45 seconds left in the third canto and unable to continue after.

In an interview on the Sky Sports MMA Club podcast, Jonathan Haggerty relived what went down in his showdown with Lobo, saying:

"It was a crazy ride. I enjoyed it, funny enough, I felt like I needed him to sort of put that pressure on me and stop me from coming out of a second gear. I had, I wouldn't say a good fight camp, it wasn't that good, there were few ups and downs, but the main thing is I got in there and did what I had to do."

He added:

"And it was a tough fight, props to him, he put it on me, he said he was going to bring it on me. All fight week, he was telling me he's going to knock me out, and yeah, he put it to me. So props to him. It was a very exciting fight, and it just came down to who wanted it more and whose recovery was the best."

The victory over Lobo at ONE Fight Night 19 was Jonathan Haggerty's first defense of the bantamweight Muay Thai gold that he won in April last year. Incidentally, he is also the division's kickboxing king.

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Jonathan Haggerty to defend Muay Thai gold against Superlek at ONE 168: Denver

Jonathan Haggerty will once again defend the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title in his scheduled match in the United States later this year.

He is going to stake the gold against the flyweight kickboxing king Supelek Kiatmoo9 in an all-champion clash at ONE 168 in Denver, Colorado, on Sept. 6 at the Ball Arena.

At ONE 168, Jonathan Haggerty will be making his second defense of the world title he seized from long-time divisional king Nong-O Hama by first-round KO in April last year.

ONE 168 is the promotion's second live on-ground event in the U.S. after ONE Fight Night 10 in May in 2023, also in Colorado.