“Time to right back the wrongs” - Jonathan Haggerty giving it all he’s got for world title defense vs Wei Rui at ONE 171

Jonathan Haggerty plans to right the wrongs of his past when he steps back onto martial arts' biggest global stage this Thursday.

In September, 'The General' suffered a brutal 49-second knockout loss against two-sport king Superlek Kiatmoo9, surrendering his ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship in the process.

Now, Haggerty will look to keep the last remaining 26 pounds of gold he's got when he puts his ONE bantamweight kickboxing world title on the line against former K-1 titleholder and top-ranked contender Wei Rui at ONE 171: Qatar on February 20.

Determined to get back into the win column and erase the sting of his first misstep at bantamweight, Jonathan Haggerty is excited to begin his journey back to two-sport status, starting with a successful kickboxing title defense against a tough test like Wei Rui.

"Training for that fight was great, you know, the best one I’ve had," Haggerty told Inside Fighting. "But, obviously, things happen. It just didn’t work out. But it’s alright. Time to right back the wrongs, make them right and get that gold again."

---

Jonathan Haggerty looks to put on a masterclass against Wei Rui at ONE 171: Qatar

Wei Rui earned his opportunity to challenge Jonathan Haggerty for the ONE bantamweight kickboxing crown via a sensational unanimous decision victory over former ONE world titleholder Hiroki Akimoto in his promotional debut last year.

Now, the 70-win veteran has an opportunity to claim gold in the biggest combat sports organization on the planet.

Of course, 'The General' has no intention of letting that happen.

"He’s an incredible opponent and I’m excited to get in there with him," Haggerty said. "I don’t want to be too confident, but I’d like to put on a masterclass. That’s what I’m looking forward to do."

Who comes out on top and leaves the Middle East with the bantamweight kickboxing world title strapped around their waist?

ONE 171: Qatar will emanate from the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar on Thursday, February 20. Head over to watch.onefc.com to learn more about how you can watch the event live.