"Anything can happen" - Teenage prodigy Johan Ghazali says Muay Thai in four-ounce gloves is the ultimate game-changer
Johan Ghazali doesn't take anything for granted at this early stage of his young and exciting career. The teenage standout always brings a lot of aggression and confidence to the table, but that doesn't mean that he overlooks the threat that is coming back at him.
Ghazali had racked up wins on the Friday Fights series before making his main roster debut, and his momentum was going to take some stopping.
The experience of Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat was able to do that at ONE 167, where he shockingly upset his opponent at the Impact Arena.
Before Ghazali looks to put this fight behind him by bouncing back with a win at ONE 168 on September 6, he spoke in an interview with Nick Atkin about why he never looks past an opponent:
"Honestly, anyone in ONE Championship Muay Thai now can pose as a threat. You know, those four-ounce gloves, anything can happen. So I never underestimate my opponent. I underestimate my opponents for what they are, you know. But at the same time, you know those four-ounce gloves, anything can happen."
Watch the full interview below:
Johan Ghazali takes the same approach to Josue Cruz
Johan Ghazali using his experience from ONE 167 to his advantage could be huge for him at ONE 168.
What he can't afford to do is get reckless or get ahead of himself when competing at the Ball Arena in Denver against Josue Cruz. To rebound with a win, he needs to be smart and focused and, as he said himself, not overlook an opponent like Cruz.
His speed and power have been very effective, but against Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat, it almost became a disadvantage for him when he couldn't pressure his opponent or hurt him.
Ghazali must show that he can fight smarter in this next bout if he is going to continue climbing the ranks.
Tickets for ONE 168: Denver are available via Ticketmaster.