“It will all be worth it” - Jonathan Haggerty steps into high gear preparing for world title defense against Wei Rui at ONE 171

Jonathan Haggerty is ready to move forward, and he plans to do so with his hand raised in triumph.

'The General' will put his ONE bantamweight kickboxing world championship on the line against Chinese sensation Wei Rui in the main event of ONE 171, set to take place at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar on Feb. 20.

This bout marks a crucial moment for Haggerty, who relinquished his status as a two-sport king in September 2024 when he conceded the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title to Superlek Kiatmoo9.

That defeat not only cost him the belt but also ended his impressive seven-fight winning streak under the promotion’s banner.

Despite the setback, the British striker is eager to make a statement in his first defense of the bantamweight kickboxing crown.

Recently, he shared a training clip on Instagram, showing himself grinding on a rowing machine — his caption centered around one clear theme: redemption.

He wrote:

“Once that bell rings, you’re on your own. It’s just you and your opponent! Leave no stone unturned. Put trust in your coach and train 100% each time! It will get hard sometimes but it will all be worth it.”

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Jonathan Haggerty faces litmus test at ONE 170

However, redeeming himself in the eyes of his fans won’t come easy for Jonathan Haggerty, as he squares off with a formidable challenger in Wei Rui.

Since joining the world’s largest martial arts organization, 'Demon Blade' has lived up to his reputation as one of China’s most elite kickboxers. The left-handed dynamo wasted no time making an impact, tearing through former divisional kingpin Hiroki Akimoto in May 2024 to improve his professional record to 70-3.

As China’s first-ever K-1 world champion, Wei is on a mission to extend his remarkable run and leave Qatar with ONE’s 26 pounds of gold draped on his shoulder.