Two-sport world champion Jonathan Haggerty has only one thing on his mind when he runs it back with Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 168: Denver – revenge.
The Londoner puts his bantamweight Muay Thai gold on the line against the flyweight kickboxing king in one of three confirmed world title fights for the promotion's second on-ground spectacle in North America on September 6.
Having gone down to the Thai's clinical striking when they crossed paths in Bolton, England, six years ago, 'The General' has gone to the limit through his fight camp so far to ensure he goes 1-1 against 'The Kicking Machine' inside Denver's Ball Arena.
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In a pre-fight interview with Sky Sports MMA Club, Jonathan Haggerty offered:
"I fought him before, around seven to eight years ago, and he managed to stop me in the second round due to a cut. But, now it's the time to get revenge, and I'm excited for it."
Less than a year after that very encounter in October 2018, ONE Championship, who announced the addition of kickboxing and Muay Thai bouts to its roster in February 2019, snapped both superstars, potentially paving the way for a rematch.
Though both Nak Muays ventured into different disciplines and divisions, a rematch between the two always looked near-inevitable.
Now, with Jonathan Haggerty and Superlek reigning atop their division, a champion vs. champion showdown is indeed the perfect storyline for them to add another chapter to their rivalry on the biggest stage of combat sports.
Liam Harrison predicts an all-out war between Superlek and Jonathan Haggerty
British striking legend Liam Harrison, who features against Seksan Or Kwanmuang on the same card, believes fans will get their money's worth when Superlek and Jonathan Haggerty run it back in the co-main event of ONE 168: Denver.
In a separate interview with Sky Sports, the Bad Company fighter had nothing but praise for both warriors before their ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title duel:
"Haggerty's been in great form, Superlek's been in great form, you're going to get an explosion."
Find out who comes out on top by tuning in to ONE 168: Denver on September 6. Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the event can follow this link.