“It's not the same” - Jonathan Haggerty says fighting is more complicated than what people see on social media

There's a big difference between watching Jonathan Haggerty hit pads on social media and standing inside a ring with him.

On Thursday, Feb. 20, Chinese kickboxing star Wei Rui will find out first-hand when he heads to the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar for a highly anticipated showdown with 'The General' at ONE 171.

Wei will challenge Haggerty for the ONE bantamweight kickboxing world championship in one of the most anticipated main events of the new year.

During an appearance on the Winners Talking podcast, Haggerty made it clear that there's a very big difference between the version you see of him in training footage and the one you eventually meet on martial arts' biggest global stage:

"I always told people, it's not the same. Watching my training videos is nothing. It's not the same when you're going in there with me and getting hit by it."

Check out the full interview below:

Haggerty will defend his kickboxing crown for the first time since capturing the title via a stunning second-round knockout of Fabricio Andrade at ONE Fight Night 16.

---

Jonathan Haggerty faces a tough test against the accomplished Wei Rui at ONE 171

After dominating the competition under the K-1 and Wu Lin Feng banners, Wei Rui made his ONE Championship debut at ONE Fight Night 22 in May and immediately declared himself a top contender in the bantamweight kickboxing division.

'Demon Blade' scored an impressive unanimous decision victory over former ONE world champion Hiroki Akimoto in his promotional premiere, skyrocketing him to the top of the rankings and setting the stage for a clash with Jonathan Haggerty.

Overall, Wei Rui has 70 career wins to his credit and carries with him a lifetime's worth of accolades. In K-1, he is a former lightweight champion and a former World Grand Prix tournament winner. In WLF, he became the men's intercontinental champion and was the promotion's 2020 Fighter of the Year.

Will 'Demon Blade' find the same success in ONE Championship and take Jonathan Haggerty's last remaining title?

ONE 171 will emanate from the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar on Thursday, Feb. 20. Early bird tickets are now available via ONE Championship’s official website.