Jonathan Haggerty says karatekas are a nightmare to go up against: "They're hard to fight"

Jonathan Haggerty has encountered a lot of different striking styles during his rise to the very top of Muay Thai and kickboxing.

Adapting to different opponents is a crucial part of the game but some competitors are going to be better suited to certain patterns than others.

For the British striker, despite being the ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion, he's at his best in Muay Thai where he can clinch and throw elbows to get up close and personal with his opponents.

Per the Londoner, though, one of the styles that makes that difficult to do is fighters that step inside the ring from a karate background.

Karatekas are often very light on their feet, using their momentum to blitz forward and back out again without taking damage.

During a recent appearance on the Winners Talking Podcast, Haggerty said that facing off with fighters from that discipline is a unique challenge for him:

"I'd say that's an equal one, if I'm honest. I've fought a few karate people before and they're hard to fight. They're quite flicky. But once you get a hold of them, it's Muay Thai, firing them elbows."

Watch the full podcast interview below:

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Jonathan Haggerty will now look to switch back to kickboxing

In his last fight, Jonathan Haggerty suffered a difficult loss which saw him drop the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship.

However, the big fights do not stop coming for 'The General' because at ONE 171: Qatar, he will put his bantamweight kickboxing world title on the line for the first time.

China's 'Demon Blade' Wei Rui aims to leave the Lusail Sports Arena with the belt wrapped around his waist on Feb. 20, but the British striker is out to ruin that plan.

Using his experience will be crucial for Haggerty in this fight as he takes on a seasoned operator who has achieved success elsewhere before arriving in ONE Championship earlier this year.