"Rematch with Estupinan" - Johan Ghazali hellbent on securing an electrifying redux against tormentor Johan Estupinan
If there's one fight that still lingers in Johan Ghazali's mind, it's his heartbreaking loss to Johan Estupinan.
The two rising stars collided in a flyweight Muay Thai thriller at ONE 170 this past January, electrifying the crowd at a sold-out Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Their clash had all the makings of a classic, and it delivered. Estupinan emerged triumphant via a hard-earned unanimous decision, handing Ghazali a bitter setback.
Ahead of his return at ONE Fight Night 32 on Friday, June 6, Ghazali joined a Reddit Ask-Me-Anything session, where a fan asked him about his "dream fight" in the talent-rich flyweight Muay Thai division.
Without missing a beat, 'Jojo' declared his desire to settle unfinished business with Estupinan — provided he takes care of his next assignment.
Ghazali wrote:
"Rematch with Estupinan."
It's understandable why Ghazali wishes to even the score with Estupinan. In their initial encounter, he started strong, dropping his fellow blue-chip prospect with a sharp right hand in the opening round.
However, the undefeated Colombian phenom stormed back in the second stanza, rocking the Malaysian-American with solid punches that sent him to the canvas.
Despite being on shaky ground, Ghazali showcased his trademark grit and resilience, surviving the storm and dragging the bout into a deciding third round.
Estupinan, however, kept his foot on the gas, applying relentless pressure and landing the more telling shots in the final frame to seal the win on the scorecards by unanimous decision.
Johan Ghazali to compete alongside Johan Estupinan at ONE Fight Night 32
Now, Johan Ghazali and Johan Estupinan are set to return to action at ONE Fight Night 32, competing in separate flyweight Muay Thai matchups on a stacked card airing live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium on Friday.
Johan Ghazali will go head-to-head with Colombian-American spitfire Diego Paez, while Estupinan is booked to face Japanese veteran Taiki Naito.
ONE Fight Night 32 will stream live and for free via Prime Video in the United States and Canada.