“There’s dedication and motivation” - Freddie Haggerty weighs in on Rodtang getting stripped of his flyweight Muay Thai belt
Freddie Haggerty can't help but wonder if Rodtang's recent weigh-in blunder is due to a lack of motivation.
'The Iron Man' was scheduled to defend his ONE flyweight Muay Thai world championship—a belt he's held for over five years—at ONE 169 inside the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. Unfortunately, that would not be the case after Rodtang failed to meet weight and hydration requirements.
As a result, he was stripped of his title, leaving him without a title for the first time since 2019.
During a recent interview with Sky Sports, Freddie Haggerty—the younger brother of ONE bantamweight kickboxing king Jonathan Haggerty—suggested that by becoming the highest-paid Muay Thai fighter of all time, 'The Iron Man' may be struggling to find motivation to compete.
"Maybe it’s his motivation," Haggerty said. "As fighters, there’s dedication and motivation. I’m sure he’s a very dedicated person, but maybe the motivation isn’t where it used to be. Maybe the fire that you see with some fighters when they start earning money (isn’t there)."
Watch the full interview:
Freddie Haggerty's big brother also thinks Rodtang may be lacking motivation
During his own interview with Sky Sports, former two-sport king and two-time Rodtang opponent Jonathan Haggerty echoed a similar sentiment, suggesting that 'The Iron Man' simply doesn't have any challengers left to keep him satiated.
"Well, he’s took everybody out, he’s beaten everybody, he’s at the top now," the older Haggerty said. "Maybe the motivation is gone, we’ll never know. Maybe he got a little more bigger."
Whatever the reason may be for Rodtang's struggles on the scale, 'The Iron Man' has every intention of reclaiming the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world title.
Should Rodtang get an opportunity to win back the belt he lost on the scale or is it time for the Thai superstar to join Jonathan Haggerty at bantamweight?
If you missed any of the action, ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch the ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug replay on demand via Amazon Prime Video.