"I should adapt quite easily" - Teenage phenom Johan Ghazali unfazed by Colorado's dreaded altitude ahead of ONE 168: Denver
ONE flyweight Muay Thai rising star Johan Ghazali wants to make the most out of his golden opportunity to fight on US soil at ONE 168: Denver.
'Jojo' will don the four-ounce gloves anew in a three-round striking fest against Josue Cruz inside Ball Arena on September 6.
Apart from the pressure that comes from performing in such a massive event on the grand stage, Colorado's dreaded altitude is something that Ghazali should also take into account.
By the looks of it, the 17-year-old prodigy seems confident that his conditioning will hold up in Denver.
Johan Ghazali shared in a recent interview with Borneo Post Online:
"I am no stranger to Denver because I have been there a few times with my mother. My blood is there and I think I should adapt quite easily."
Ghazali is half Malaysian and American, another reason why he's eager to perform at his best in his debut fight in America.
The Rentap MuayThai Gym affiliate certainly has a lot to prove after suffering his first setback in the world's largest martial arts organization at ONE 167 last June.
After mostly throwing haymakers, Johan Ghazali visibly slowed down in the final round against Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat. He certainly can't make the same costly mistake at ONE 168.
Johan Ghazali delighted to be a part of star-studded ONE 168 spectacle
Johan Ghazali always pays his respects to the legends of the game that paved the road for him in the striking arts.
As such, 'Jojo' can't help but gush over some of the biggest stars in the promotion, whom he'll fight alongside with in less than a month.
The teenage phenom said in the same interview:
"I feel that this event will be one of the biggest fights in my pro career considering that stars like Jonathan Haggerty, Superlek Kiatmoo9, and Liam Harrison have fought in ONE Championship and I am excited to fight on that card."
Tickets for ONE 168: Denver are available via Ticketmaster.