“Real superhero fight” - Fans in pure astonishment of the barnburner between Jonathan Haggerty, Thai legend Sam-A

Before Jonathan Haggerty suits up for action next month, ONE Championship revisited the pivotal moment that cemented his ascent to superstardom.

The British striker clinched the biggest win of his career at the time when he challenged Sam-A Gaiyanghadao for the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world championship at ONE: For Honor in May 2019.

Relive the highlights of that electrifying encounter below:

From the opening bell, both men engaged in a relentless war of attrition, exchanging powerful combinations with neither willing to back down.

Haggerty’s sharp left jab floored Sam-A in the third round, and history repeated itself in the fifth as another pinpoint jab sent the Thai icon to the canvas once more. The action remained intense from start to finish.

When the dust settled, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Haggerty, crowning him the new flyweight Muay Thai king.

Fans flooded the comment section with praise for both warriors, acknowledging their grit and heart:

“Good lord, those are not normal humans. That’s what a real superhero fight looks like.”

“That was an incredible fight.”

“Bro, this is a brutal sport: elbows flying like jabs in boxing.”

Fan reaction

“Two absolutely legends.”

“That sport is brutal.”

Fan reaction

Little did Haggerty know, this was just the beginning of a meteoric rise.

His career reached new heights in 2023 — a defining year that saw him enter the elite ranks of two-sport world champions.

After a brief reign as the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion, ‘The General’ moved up in weight, hungry for new challenges and greater glory.

In April 2023, he sent shockwaves by dethroning Nong-O Hama in spectacular fashion, capturing the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai World Title with a stunning first-round knockout that left the Thai legend face-planted on the canvas.

But Haggerty wasn’t done yet. Seven months later, he delivered another masterclass, dismantling ONE bantamweight MMA world champion Fabricio Andrade in under two rounds to claim the vacant divisional kickboxing crown.

---

Jonathan Haggerty reports for duty at ONE 171

Jonathan Haggerty will defend the ONE bantamweight kickboxing world title for the first time when he faces Wei Rui in the main event of ONE 171 on Feb. 20 at Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar.

However, the Englishman steps into this showdown with redemption on his mind. He’s looking to bounce back from a shocking 49-second knockout loss to Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 168 this past September — a defeat that cost him the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship.

With Wei standing in his path, Haggerty aims to prove once again why he remains one of the most electrifying strikers in the game.