"You can get back up" - Jonathan Haggerty recalls the mindset that helped him survive scary knockdown against Felipe Lobo
Jonathan Haggerty proved the extent of his champion's resolve during his last outing inside the Circle earlier this year.
The two-sport world champion was coming off of an incredible 2023 where back-to-back wins against titleholders saw him secure the bantamweight Muay Thai and kickboxing belts.
'The General' was confident of keeping this run going coming into ONE Fight Night 19 where he faced top contender Felipe Lobo.
From early on in the fight, it appeared that this wasn't going to be an easy night at the office for the defending champion as his challenger caught and dropped him.
However, this version of Haggerty that we now see before us is a product of years of high-level experience and supreme confidence in his training.
So much so that it appeared that he simply refused to lose in getting back to his feet and turning the tide before getting the finish in the third round.
In a recent interview with Sky Sports MMA Club, he spoke about how his preparations allowed him to overcome any obstacle that might be thrown at him:
"Prepared for anything is like, for instance, getting punched in the head and get knocked down, and I can tell myself, 'You got this, you've been knocked down before, you can get back up.'"
The heart of Jonathan Haggerty may be crucial yet again at ONE 168
When two elite operators go head-to-head, it's hard to predict what may happen but this is what makes Jonathan Haggerty a world champion.
His ability to adapt and overcome has been incredibly impressive as of late but it will be called into question in his next title defense.
At ONE 168 in Denver, he takes on the flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 in one of the biggest Muay Thai fights of the entire year.
With both men putting together incredible runs as of late, things like resilience and durability could be crucial factors in this dream contest.
ONE 168 will air live at US prime time from the packed-out Ball Arena in Denver on September 6.