"It's a risky fight" - Jonathan Haggerty on Superlek's clash with Kongthoranee before their ONE 168 barnburner

Two-sport bantamweight kingpin Jonathan Haggerty believes Superlek Kiatmoo9 is playing with fire in his upcoming bout with the dangerous Kongthoranee Sor Sommai. After all, they're going to be trading heavy leather at ONE 168: Denver on September 6 in a high-stakes five-round striking war for the bantamweight Muay Thai world title.

'The General' has been left flabbergasted by 'The Kicking Machine's' decision to take on Kongthoranee in a flyweight Muay Thai three-rounder at ONE Friday Fights 68 this coming June 28 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.

The British KO artist expressed his concerns in an interview with Sportskeeda MMA:

"I mean, it's a risky fight. I don't understand the fight. And yeah, if he [Kongthoranee] wins, I feel it does take away a little bit of shine from our fight."

Jonathan Haggerty made some valid points given the timeline of Superlek's scheduled bouts, not to mention the level of competition he'll be facing.

While the flyweight kickboxing king is undoubtedly the heavy favorite against Kongthoranee, fans know how unpredictable the striking arts can be. Plus, the 27-year-old Thai is no slouch either, winning his last seven straight bouts and holding an 8-1 record in ONE overall.

Then again, Superlek is one of the pound-for-pound best strikers in the world for a reason.

Don't miss the Thai megastar's return at ONE Friday FIghts 68, airing live in Asian primetime via the ONE Super App and ONE's digital platforms in selected regions.

The Superlek vs. Haggerty showdown, meanwhile, is free for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

Watch Haggerty's full interview:

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Superlek assures he'll be extra careful against Kongthoranee

Despite Haggerty's reservations, Superlek understands the risks in taking the fight against the upset-seeking Kongthoranee.

'The Kicking Machine' told the South China Morning Post recently:

"I would say, because I will have to fight Haggerty, I need to make this game [against Kongthoranee] as less damaging as possible."

In hindsight, there are also some positives for Superlek in his quick turnaround.

For the Kiatmoo9 star, being active keeps his momentum going and he can fine-tune all aspects of his game before the big fight against Haggerty.

See the interview below: