“I believe this fight ends by knockout” - Walter Goncalves confident in ability to stand against Jonathan Haggerty at ONE 157

Walter Goncalves is heading into battle against a streaking Jonathan Haggerty carrying an air of confidence in his skills.

At ONE 157: Petchmorakot vs. Vienot, the pair will face off in a quarterfinal matchup of the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix.

Goncalves made a strong impression in 2019 despite losing his world title challenge against Rodtang Jitmuangnon. Through five rounds, the young Brazilian stood toe-to-toe against 'The Iron Man' but ultimately lost via split decision.

He now faces the man whose only losses in the circle were dealt by Rodtang.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Walter Goncalves said that he’s not intimidated by Haggerty’s stature, and approaches the fight the same way that he does against any other.

“I know Jonathan Haggerty is coming off three wins in a row and is a former World Champion. But despite the fact that many point to him as a favorite, I look at him as if he were just another opponent. I will face him as I have always faced my other opponents: with a thirst for victory.”

However, he recognizes that ‘The General’ possesses knockout power like him and predicts an early finish when they locked horns.

“I believe this fight ends by knockout. We are two fighters with great knockout power, so I don’t believe the fight will end with the judges’ decision,” he said.

Walter Goncalves promises to put on a show for the fans

Walter Goncalves has over 60 wins to his name and has faced different types of opponents along the way.

As such, he believes that facing someone like Jonathan Haggerty will be nothing new for him, but the same cannot be said if it was the other way around. He explained:

“I’ve faced taller fighters with good reach like him. But even though he’s taller and has a better wingspan, I’m sure he’ll have a hard time imposing his game against me. I can guarantee he will be surprised with me because I won’t be an easy target for him.”

Both fighters are known for their constant movement inside the ring, but that doesn’t mean they will keep evading each other. Goncalves believes that the clash of their similarities will make for a fun match to watch.

“We have some similarities in our game, but I think the main thing is that we don’t stand still in the middle of the ring. I believe this fight will be very cool and very interesting for the fans.”