ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty returns to action on April 29 at ONE Samurai 1 inside Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, where he puts his title on the line against Japanese contender and former K-1 Champion Yuki Yoza.
Ahead of the contest, Haggerty offered a rare insight into the push kick that has become one of the most recognizable and effective tools in his arsenal.
"My teeps were just part of my game from a very young age. I was building that technique from the very beginning. I was quite tall for my weight category growing up through the ranks in the UK, and using the teep was quite effective," Haggerty said.
That foundation has proved extraordinarily durable.
The 29-year-old Briton has shared the global stage with some of the finest strikers ONE has ever seen, including Rodtang Jitmuangnon, Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, Nong-O Hama, and Superlek, building a 23-5 career record and a 9-3 ONE record that includes seven wins from his last eight bouts.
His most recent outing delivered a successful title defense against Wei Rui, a Chinese contender who arrived riding a 21-fight winning streak. Through every opponent and every challenge, the teep has remained a fixture.
Haggerty has no intention of changing that formula against Yoza, a relentlessly aggressive forward-pressure fighter whose attacking style plays directly into the champion's hands.
"I've never stopped using them. It continues to work, and against someone like Yuki, who really loves getting in range, he'll be feeling the full force of it in Japan," he said.
When pressed on what makes his teep so consistently effective, his answer strips the art down to its bare essentials.
"Honestly, it's just the timing. Knowing when to throw it and not just wasting it by throwing it randomly. The simplicity of throwing it and the timing, which helps with it being accurate," Haggerty said.
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