Jonathan Haggerty won’t push the pace against Wei Rui: “A wrong game plan”

Jonathan Haggerty plans to take a more calculated approach when he squares off with Wei Rui at ONE 171: Qatar on Thursday, Feb. 20.

The British standout is set to defend his ONE bantamweight kickboxing world title against the dangerous Chinese challenger in a five-round clash at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar.

Known for his ferocious striking and aggressive pursuit of knockouts, Haggerty has built a reputation as one of the most exciting finishers in combat sports.

However, his signature all-action style proved costly in September 2024 when he lost the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship — and his status as a two-sport titleholder — to Superlek Kiatmoo9.

That bout ended in stunning fashion when Superlek capitalized on Haggerty’s commitment to a straight right hand, ducking under and landing a perfectly timed counter elbow that sent 'The General' crashing to the canvas.

Though Haggerty attempted to recover, he was unable to beat the referee’s count, handing Superlek a decisive knockout victory.

Reflecting on that loss in an interview with Inside Fighting, Haggerty admitted he learned a valuable lesson and vowed not to make the same mistake against Wei:

“I would say I’d like to go out there and blast him in the opening round. But I tried to do that with Superlek and I feel like it was a little bit of a wrong game plan.”

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Jonathan Haggerty eager to keep remaining world title

Jonathan Haggerty’s decision to deviate from his usual aggressive style is entirely understandable.

With his Muay Thai crown now in Superlek’s possession, the bantamweight kickboxing belt is the last piece of gold in Haggerty’s collection.

For the Englishman, this assignment is about more than just defending his championship — it’s about proving he still belongs at the pinnacle of the sport.

Jonathan Haggerty said:

“I’m going to pick my time, pick my shots, and when the time comes, then I’ll go in for the kill.”