“It feels great” - Johan Ghazali pleased to successfully ‘bring Muay Thai to the West’ at ONE 168: Denver
Johan Ghazali is happy with his contribution to bringing Muay Thai to North America.
Last Friday, Sept. 6, was a special night for ONE Championship, as ONE 168: Denver delivered various unforgettable moments. The knockouts and submissions were entertaining, but nothing was more significant than seeing a North American crown go crazy for "The Art of Eight Limbs."
Ghazali was one of five fighters to secure a Muay Thai knockout win at ONE 168, showing fans the high-level striking skills required for the sport. During an interview with ONE, 'Jojo' had this to say about helping Muay Thai grow in North America:
"It feels great. It feels great to be one of the people to bring Muay Thai to the West."
Johan Ghazali's first-round knockout against Josue Cruz earned him a $50,000 performance bonus from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong. The impressive performance was much needed for the 17-year-old, as he suffered his lone promotional loss in his last fight against Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat.
For those who missed ONE 168: Denver, the event's replay can be seen by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Watch Ghazali's knockout win against Cruz below:
Johan Ghazali calls out Denis Puric and Freddie Haggerty for future fights
Johan Ghazali's win at ONE 168: Denver reminded everyone that he's a future world champion in Muay Thai. Following his bonus-winning performance, Ghazali called out two fighters - Freddie Haggerty and Denis Puric.
Firstly, Freddie is the younger brother of ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion Jonathan Haggerty. The 19-year-old holds a 2-0 record under the ONE Championship banner, both wins by knockout on the ONE Friday Fights series.
Meanwhile, Puric is one of the most entertaining fighters on the ONE roster. At 39 years old, the Bosnian-Canadian established a 3-2 promotional Muay Thai record, with several fights being entertaining wars.
Puric and Haggerty offer different tests to Ghazali. 'The Bosnian Menace' has the experience and aggression, while Haggerty is a fellow rising prospect with the potential to evolve into a superstar. It'll be intriguing to see if ONE decides to book Ghazali against either of his callouts.