Jonathan Haggerty Reflects On Hard-Fought Yuki Yoza ONE World Title Defense

Jonathan Haggerty is still the king. The ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion delivered a masterclass at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, dominating Yuki Yoza across five rounds to retain his title via unanimous decision at ONE SAMURAI 1 on April 29.

Yoza entered the fight as one of kickboxing's most dangerous stars, having defeated two kickboxing World Champions on the back of his devastating calf kicks that had earned him worldwide acclaim.

Haggerty, however, had done his homework. The Briton neutralised the calf kick threat with surgical precision, mixing his kicks, punches, knees, and fight IQ to systematically break down his Japanese challenger over the course of five rounds.

The physical toll of the battle was real, but Haggerty walked away with immense respect for his opponent.

"My legs are killing me! But yeah, it was a great fight. Yoza brought the fire; we knew he would. I'm just so grateful to be here, competing in the best organization in the world," Haggerty said.

Behind the dominant performance was a meticulous game plan that Haggerty and his team had prepared and executed to near perfection.

Despite the temptation to go to war, "The General" kept his composure and stayed true to the strategy that got him the result.

"We had a great game plan, and I feel like I stuck to it perfectly. I did want to get stuck in and go head-to-head, but stuck to the game plan, got the win, and that was the main thing," the British champion said.

With his pro record now standing at 24-5, he is already eyeing his next conquest.

The former two-division ONE Muay Thai World Champion has unfinished business across combat sports, with ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon firmly in his crosshairs. But that is not where his ambition ends.

"Obviously, I'd like to fight for the Muay Thai World Title against Rambolek. That's on my mind as well. Also MMA as well, it's definitely something I'd like to do. You know, I'm a martial artist, so I'll give it a go, for sure," Haggerty admitted.