“Have to wait and see for that” - Jonathan Haggerty says potential fight against Nico Carrillo could happen at catchweight
Although they compete in two separate divisions, Jonathan Haggerty still sees a possible matchup between him and bitter foe Nico Carrillo. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, the reigning ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion said he and Carrillo could face off in a catchweight bout between 145 and 155 pounds.
Haggerty pointed out that Carrillo wouldn't make the 145-pound limit after leaving the bantamweight division.
Jonathan Haggerty said:
"Yeah, definitely. Obviously, he’s not going to be able to make bantamweight, maybe a catchweight. So we have to wait and see for that one."
Carrillo and Haggerty have never squared off between the ropes in ONE Championship, but the two have shared a bitter verbal feud over social media and in interviews.
Although they won't actively talk trash about one another, it'll only take one question from the press for Haggerty or Carrillo to spew some venom against each other.
It needed a perfect storm for the pair to lock horns when they were both still in the bantamweight division, but their standings in the division's hierarchy still had a massive gap.
Haggerty has been a bonafide main eventer for ONE Championship since he knocked out the legendary Nong-O Hama for the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title at ONE Fight Night 9 in April 2023.
Carrillo, meanwhile, was at his ONE Championship debut the day before Haggerty dethroned Nong-O.
Although Carrillo quickly rose through the bantamweight ranks, his path never crossed with Haggerty's.
Still, a matchup between Haggerty and Carrillo already has the perfect build, and it'd be an inevitable barnburner once square off inside the Circle.
Watch Jonathan Haggerty's entire interview below:
Jonathan Haggerty glad to see Nico Carrillo rediscover his form against Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong
He may be locked in a verbal beef with the man, but Jonathan Haggerty will always give credit where it is rightfully due.
Haggerty was in attendance during ONE Fight Night 30 this past weekend to support longtime friend Lyndon Knowles in his world title challenge against Roman Kryklia for the ONE heavyweight Muay Thai world championship.
While waiting for Knowles' match, Haggerty was locked on the TV screens watching Nico Carrillo annihilate Thai legend Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong in their featherweight Muay Thai bout.
In ONE Championship's Instagram post, Haggerty admitted he was glad to see Carrillo return to form following the Scotsman's disappointing defeat to Nabil Anane for the ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai world title in January.
He said:
"Yeah, great work. I did tell him that moving up in weight, he'll feel a lot better. Obviously, he listened to my advice. Great win. Smashed it!"