In just less than a week, Jonathan Haggerty will return to action, and he’s ensuring every aspect of his preparation is in place.
“The General” is set to defend his ONE bantamweight kickboxing world championship against China's Wei Rui in the main event of ONE 171, taking place on Feb. 20 at the breathtaking Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar.
Recently, ONE Championship shared footage of the British star in a high-intensity training session with his longtime coach, Christian Knowles.
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It's understandable where the intensity of Haggerty’s preparation comes from. The Englishman looks to bounce back from a tough setback in his most recent outing.
It can be recalled that Haggerty dropped the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title to Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 168 in September 2024. In that matchup, the 27-year-old absorbed a slicing elbow strike from the Thai sensation, succumbing to a heartbreaking 49-second knockout defeat — eventually relinquishing his reign as a two-sport ONE world champion.
Now, Haggerty sees his upcoming joust with Wei as the ideal opportunity to regain his momentum.
It's also important to highlight that the bantamweight kickboxing crown Haggerty will defend in Qatar is the same one he captured in November 2023, after defeating divisional MMA king Fabricio Andrade.
Jonathan Haggerty eyes redemption
Though he lost his status as a two-sport ONE world champion five months ago, Jonathan Haggerty is driven to prove that he hasn’t lost his luster as an elite striker.
In a recent Instagram post, he wrote:
"Once that bell rings, you're on your own. It's just you and your opponent! Leave no stone unturned. Put trust in your coach and train 100% each time! It will get hard sometimes, but it will all be worth it."