"He goes out and absolutely kills Nong-O" - Jacob Smith still in awe of Jonathan Haggerty's unimaginable KO of Thai legend
Jacob Smith recently described Jonathan Haggerty's upset KO of Thai legend Nong-O Hama as nothing short of inspiring.
The British striker is en route to another uphill battle this year at ONE 169, when he rematches ONE flyweight Muay Thai king Rodtang Jitmuangnon for the coveted 135 pound gold.
Even with the odds stacked against him. Smith believes he's got a good chance as any to pull off an upset in front of a hostile Thai crowd in Bangkok.
Talking to Sportskeeda MMA this week, the 32-year-old Englishman says he takes inspiration from Jonathan Haggerty's odd-defying victory against former ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nong-O, ahead of his world-title war with 'The Iron Man.'
"I thought Nong-O was going to kill him, and then he [Jonathan Haggerty] goes out and absolutely kills Nong-O."
It remains a fact that Jacob Smith is one of the strongest Muay Thai competitors in the division. He does most of his training out of Bad Company Gym in Leeds - the same training facility that Muay Thai legend Liam Harrison comes from - which means he's a dangerous, hard-hitting puncher.
So, if there's anyone who can potentially KO the long-reigning champion, it would be Jacob Smith.
ONE 169: Malykhin vs Reug Reug airs live on Nov. 8 for Prime Video subscribers in North America.
Jacob Smith says he's leaving no stone unturned before highly-anticipated war with Rodtang
Despite 'The Iron Man's' legendary status, Jacob Smith is hyperfocused on getting into the best shape possible to prove his critics wrong and get the win.
There's absolutely no fear on Smith's face when he talks about fighting with Rodtang again. Although their first encounter back in May 2022, wasn't as smooth sailing as he would have liked, the Englishman is amped up to demonstrate that it's possible for legends to experience adversity.
This week, Jacob Smith swayed some fans to his side after releasing footage of his latest training session.
"No stone left unturned. Let's go."