"I'm not taking this fight lightly" - Muay Thai phenom Johan Ghazali refuses to underestimate 'veteran' Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat
Johan Ghazali is one of the most exciting prospects in the world of striking right now and that momentum doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
The 17-year-old fighter burst onto the scene thanks to his performance on the ONE Friday Fights series.
From there, it has been foot to the floor in his career with a rapid ascension up the ranks that will look to continue at ONE 167.
That being said, for how quickly things are happening for him in his career, Johan Ghazali isn't going to start underestimating opponents because of his own hype.
This is especially true for opponents who have more experience than him that could use this to put him to the test.
ONE 167 is sure to be another one of these early career trials for Ghazali as he takes on Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat in a flyweight Muay Thai duel at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
18 years his elder, Nguyen was born into a family of martial artists and as such, has been competing for over 15 years.
In an interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Ghazali said that he won't be looking past his opponent for this very reason:
"I cannot underestimate Nguyen [Tran Duy Nhat] for what he's done. I mean, he's a veteran and I'm just a youngster. I may be coming in with a lot of knockouts, wins, and all that, but I'm not taking this fight lightly, especially against Nguyen."
Johan Ghazali is also a scary prospect to come up against
Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat may have the experience on his side in this match-up by some distance but he will need it when coming up against Johan Ghazali.
There's a reason that this fight is the next logical step for the rising contender despite such a wide gap in their experience level.
The surging teenager comes in with lightning-fast speed and ruthless knockout power which makes him dangerous at all times.
We will find out in the coming weeks whether he can maintain his undefeated run in the promotion.
ONE 167 will air live from the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 7. North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription can catch the entire card for free.