"I am the ideal fighter" - Johan Ghazali on why he deserves to be part of ONE 168: Denver
Johan Ghazali is set to return at ONE 167 and whilst he is focused in on getting the win, the rising star also has future plans in mind.
The 17-year-old undefeated striker has shown glimpses of becoming a serious face of ONE Championship soon if he can keep on winning. This next test comes on June 7 at the Impact Arena as he takes on veteran Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat in the next logical step for his career.
Ghazali also hopes that he can feature on the next huge event that is on the schedule as the promotion returns to Denver for a second event in the United States. "Jojo" told Sportskeeda MMA in a recent interview that he hopes to feature on ONE 168 so that he can put on a show for the US fans:
"Definitely, the US market is huge. And with my mum being American, I think it's important for me to open my doors there, get the fans there, show my Muay Thai there and so on. I feel like I am the ideal fighter to promote there."
Ghazali continued, speaking about his star potential and how he hopes to one day transcend the sport to become a major star around the world:
"I can speak Malay, English, I can speak a bit of Thai. And I'd say I'm marketable. I fight good and I train hard. My dream is to be at the top. I want to surpass Tawanchai and Rodtang, I want to be the Cristiano Ronaldo or Michael Jordan of the sport."
If he keeps winning, the sky is the limit for Johan Ghazali
Johan Ghazali was the breakout star in ONE Championship last year as the teenage phenom went from strength to strength.
He is now set to return for his first fight of 2024 where he looks to keep his momentum building.
At just 17 years old, the possibilities are endless for Johan Ghazali but obviously, securing wins and putting on impressive performances is the most important factor for him going forward.
ONE 167 will air live from the Impact Arena in Bangkok on June 7.