Jonathan Haggerty says Buakaw was his only idol growing up: “I used to have him as my laptop screensaver”

British striker Jonathan Haggerty is now a celebrated fighter, but while growing up, he said he was a big fan of Thai kickboxer and Muay Thai fighter Buakaw Banchamek.

‘The General’ shared this interesting bit about him in a recent interview with FirstSportz MMA, relaying how Buakaw was such an inspiration to him that at one point he was on his laptop screensaver.

The 26-year-old Knowles Academy standout said:

“Yeah, there was a fighter I idolized – Buakaw. When I was young, I used to love Buakaw. He was the main standout. So yeah, growing up, he was the man for me. I used to even have him as my laptop screensaver, so yeah.”

Check out what he had to say below:

Buakaw is a decorated striker who has fought in multiple weight classes. He has over 230 victories under his belt and is widely regarded as the best kickboxer that Thailand has ever produced.

Like his combat sports idol, Jonathan Haggerty, who is the reigning ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion, seeks to fortify his legend in combat sports by becoming a two-sport world champion in the promotion later this week.

He is going up against the division’s mixed martial arts king, Fabricio Andrade, in an all-champion clash for the vacant ONE bantamweight kickboxing world title at ONE Fight Night 16 on Prime Video in Bangkok.

Jonathan Haggerty is actually shooting for a third ONE world title, having once held the promotion’s flyweight Muay Thai gold.

Opponent Fabricio Andrade, meanwhile, is out to make it back-to-back title conquests after claiming the vacant bantamweight MMA world title in his last fight in February. He is also aiming to become a two-sport world champion with a win in his upcoming fight.

ONE Fight Night 16 will take place at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium and will air live in U.S. primetime, free of charge for existing Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.