“Keep this belt and stay on top” - Jonathan Haggerty says he has a lot to prove after devastating loss to Superlek

Former two-sport king and now reigning and undisputed ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion 'The General' Jonathan Haggerty of the United Kingdom feels he has his back against the wall heading into his next fight.

Coming off a devastating loss to Thai tormentor 'The Kicking Machine' Superlek Kiatmoo9 last September at ONE 168: Denver, Haggerty will return this week to defend his kickboxing gold against Chinese icon 'Demon Blade' Wei Rui.

Speaking to Combat Corner in a recent interview, Haggerty talked about this upcoming matchup, and why he feels it's a must-win.

'The General' said:

"Now, this one is a lot different. There's a lot more on the line. You know, I just lost the Muay Thai belt, which is unfortunate, but I still had the kickboxing belt. So to defend this now is the main priority. I need to keep this belt and stay on top."

Needless to say, Haggerty will be looking to put on a show for fans when he returns to action this week, and to prove that he's still the best in this weight class.

Fans won't have to wait long to see 'The General' back in action.

Jonathan Haggerty set to face China's Wei Rui at ONE 171: Qatar

'The General' Jonathan Haggerty of the United Kingdom will put his ONE bantamweight kickboxing world title on the line against Chinese superstar 'Demon Blade' Wei Rui.

The two throw down in the co-main event of ONE 171: Qatar, which will broadcast live from the Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail, Qatar this Thursday, Feb. 20.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and absolutely free via watch.onefc.com.

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding the event as it happens.