“I was lost for words” - Johan Ghazali shares moment of disbelief after getting called up for ONE 168
Johan Ghazali was "lost for words" after finding out he'll be fighting at ONE 168. On Sept. 6, ONE Championship will travel to Denver, Colorado for the promotion's return to North America.
The highly-anticipated event features arguably the most stacked card of 2024, with Jonathan Haggerty defending his bantamweight Muay Thai world title against flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek in the headliner.
Earlier in the ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong decided to showcase their next generation of talent, including 17-year-old Ghazali. During an interview with the promotion, 'Jojo' was asked about the massive opportunity to showcase his skills in front of American fans. He responded by saying:
“Man, to be honest, I was lost for words [when I was asked to fight at ONE 168: Denver]. It’s a moment that I’ve wanted ever since I saw the card. Plus, my family – my grandparents, my cousins, my aunts – are all just in New Mexico."
Ghazali followed up by saying:
“This is the chance for them to finally watch me fight live. I cannot wait to put on a show for them and for everyone else watching from around the world.”
Johan Ghazali made his ONE Championship debut in Feb. 2023. Since then, he's become a fighter to watch in the bantamweight Muay Thai division by establishing a 5-1 promotional record, including four wins by knockout.
Johan Ghazali looks to silence the doubters at ONE 168: Denver
Johan Ghazali suffered a setback in June by suffering his first promotional loss - a unanimous decision against Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat. Ghazali is undoubtedly a future world title challenger, but some fans have questioned if the 17-year-old needs more time to develop before fighting top contenders.
At ONE 168: Denver, Ghazali will take on Josue Cruz, who is 0-2 under the ONE banner. With an impressive finish, 'Jojo' would remind the doubters that it's only a matter of time until he fights for Muay Thai gold.
Tickets for ONE 168, including Ghazali's return, two world title fights, and several other entertaining matchups, can be found on Ticketmaster.