"The best chance" - Johan Ghazali says there's no grander stage for him to bounce back than ONE 168: Denver

How one responds to a defeat is important for pro athletes, and young Muay Thai sensation Johan Ghazali will have his opportunity to do so at ONE 168: Denver inside the Ball Arena on September 6.

Speaking with ONE Championship, the 17-year-old said the following about his impending flyweight Muay Thai war with Mexican brawler Josue Cruz:

"This is the best chance for me to bounce back. It's a massive card, and although I'm normally fired up as always, this one feels way different."

The Malaysian-American has been involved in back-and-forth wars in his young career, but his performance against Vietnamese veteran Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat at ONE 167 this past June proved that he still had a lot to learn.

Nguyen's control of the pace of the fight visibly frustrated 'Jojo', which led to him making mistakes that 'No.1' took advantage of. This led to Ghazali absorbing his first loss under the ONE banner.

However, Ghazali promised fans that he would learn from his mistakes and showcase his improvement against 'Tuzo' at ONE 168: Denver.

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Johan Ghazali unconcerned with what Josue Cruz will bring to the table at ONE 168

Johan Ghazali's unwavering confidence in the face of hardship has made him a major player in the eyes of ONE Championship fans. Though Josue Cruz has the benefit of experience at ONE 168: Denver early next month, Ghazali remains unfazed.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, the Rentap Muay Thai Gym athlete stated:

"I'm not worried in any way about how good [Josue] Cruz is. While I do know what he has to offer me in this fight, I hope he knows what I'm good at, too."

Watch ONE 168: Denver live in U.S. primetime inside the Ball Arena on September 6 by purchasing your tickets via Ticketmaster.