“Time to get back to winning ways” - Bantamweight kickboxing king Jonathan Haggerty reveals he has a fight date set for his return
Jonathan Haggerty's comeback could be sooner rather than later.
The reigning ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion posted on Instagram that he's got a fight date set, but did not reveal any more details about his return.
Jonathan Haggerty wrote:
"We have a fight date! Time to get back to winning ways! @onechampionship"
Haggerty last fought at ONE 168: Denver in a highly anticipated champion-versus-champion showdown against Superlek Kiatmoo9 at Ball Arena.
The British star put his ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title on the line in the card's main event, but Superlek was the one who left Denver with a newly minted champ-champ status.
Superlek, the reigning ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion, knocked out Haggerty in the first round with a perfect elbow counter to capture the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai throne.
Despite the defeat, Haggerty remains one of the planet's most dangerous strikers and his next match is another potential barnburner.
Before losing to Superlek in Denver, Haggerty was on a six-fight winning streak with that run's latter three matches ending via vicious knockout.
'The General', a former ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion, captured the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title when he finished the legendary Nong-O in the first round of their ONE Fight Night 9 headliner.
Haggerty became a two-sport world champion when he stopped Fabricio Andrade, the ONE bantamweight MMA world champion, for the vacant bantamweight kickboxing throne at ONE Fight Night 16.
His first defense of the bantamweight Muay Thai strap became an instant classic when he came back from an early knockdown to stop Brazilian slugger Felipe Lobo at ONE Fight Night 19.
Jonathan Haggerty suggests Rodtang should move up to bantamweight after losing gold on the scales
Jonathan Haggerty was just one of the many people who empathized with Rodtang Jitmuangnon after the Thai megastar lost his ONE flyweight Muay Thai world title during weigh-ins.
Rodtang had to relinquish his throne after weighing in at 135.5 pounds, half a pound over the flyweight limit, ahead of his world title defense against Jacob Smith at ONE 169 earlier this month.
Haggerty, who fought Rodtang twice for that same belt, suggested that his old nemesis move up a division and join him at bantamweight.
He told Sky Sports:
"At flyweight, I missed it a few times and it's at that point that you just have to tell yourself, 'Let's move up.' And you never know, it might do him a world of good if he moves up a weight like it did for me. I went up there and done what I had to do."
Jonathan Haggerty was a former ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion but had to leave the division after a couple of health scares in 2022.