WATCH: Jonathan Haggerty cranks up the heat in preparation for kickboxing world title defense against Wei Rui in Qatar

Jonathan Haggerty still has over a month until he steps back into the Circle, but he’s ensuring every aspect of his preparation is in top form.

The British star is set to defend his ONE bantamweight kickboxing world championship against China’s Wei Rui in the main event of ONE 171, scheduled for February 20 at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar.

Recently, ONE Championship shared a training clip of Haggerty working the pads with his coach, Christian Knowles. The sound of his strikes cracking against the pads is reminiscent of firecrackers — a testament to his power and precision.

Watch the footage below:

The intense training comes as Haggerty aims for redemption after a tough setback in his previous assignment.

The 27-year-old is looking to bounce back from a shocking 49-second knockout loss at the hands of Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 168 this past September, a defeat that cost him the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship and his status as a two-sport titleholder.

With redemption in mind, Haggerty views his upcoming battle with Wei as the perfect opportunity to regain his momentum.

It's worth noting that the division crown Haggerty will put at stake in Qatar is the same one he claimed in November 2023 when he dispatched reigning ONE bantamweight MMA world champion Fabricio Andrade.

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Jonathan Haggerty relishes to test his mettle against Wei Rui

Though the challenge ahead is significant, Jonathan Haggerty is excited to share the same stage with a tough opponent.

In an interview on the Winners Talking Podcast, he expressed his exhilaration at the opportunity to test himself against one of the best in the sport, such as Wei Rui:

"That's the thing with ONE Championship, they put fights on that everyone wants to see. The best against the best, like you said, it's no like beating around a bush, having one golden boy and saving his record. It's like number one versus the champ. That's it. That's what's good about it."