ONE Championship two-sport titlist Jonathan Haggerty fights on Sky Sports for the first time this weekend; Haggerty puts his bantamweight Muay Thai championship on the line against Brazil's Felipe Lobo, live on Sky Sports Arena from 1am on Saturday morning
Wednesday 14 February 2024 19:44, UK
Britain has a host of accomplished fighters. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in boxing are two of the most famous sportsmen in the world. Tom Aspinall and Leon Edwards have starred on UFC promotions in the UK.
In contrast Jonathan Haggerty has not received anything like the same fanfare. Yet his achievements make him one of the best combat sports athletes in Britain today.
The "General," as he's known, has excelled in ONE Championship, holding world titles in two sports simultaneously. He is their kickboxing and Muay Thai bantamweight world champion, and also previously held the flyweight Muay Thai world championship.
In the process, he's beaten some of the best kickboxers in the world.
Overcoming Sam-A Gaiyanghadao and Nong-O Gaiyanghadao were major victories for him and most recently he blasted out Fabricio Andrade to add the ONE bantamweight kickboxing championship to the Muay Thai title he won against Nong-O.
"I've taken out some big names," Haggerty told the MMA Club podcast.
"I was always the underdog in all these fights. I took the fights when I shouldn't have, some people would say. But I say take risks and prosper.
"I've lost. I've lost to one of the best Thais in the world and I say to myself one door closes and another one opens.
"I also go for the saying: 'bulletproof mindset,'" he added. "Just basically that you cannot be beaten.
"You're in this sport and you can't have the mindset of ifs or buts, you need to be 100 per cent ready, you need to be confident. I just tell myself bulletproof mindset."
He is not yet widely known in the UK but he is acclaimed in Thailand and Asia.
"I think that just came with my fighting style. Everybody likes to watch the fighting style that I bring. It's just entertainment really and of course, it's the knockouts. So I'm very thankful," he said.
Haggerty will fight on Sky Sports for the first time this weekend when he headlines the ONE Championship Fight Night at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. He will be defending his bantamweight Muay Thai world title against Brazil's Felipe Lobo, live on Sky Sports Arena from 1am on Saturday morning.
"With these four-ounce gloves it's 50-50 all the time," he warned ahead of the Lobo fight. "He's a great opponent. He is where is for a reason. I just believe there's levels to this game and his style is perfect for my sort of style and you'll see.
"Just excited now to meet him in the middle of the ring," he added. "He can't beat me. Let's just put it that way."
Haggerty's confidence is clear. So confident in fact that he wants to venture into another sport - MMA.
Andrade, who Haggerty beat for the bantamweight kickboxing title, also holds ONE's Championship's MMA bantamweight title. The Briton now wants to fight him again for that belt.
"We've been going back and forth on Instagram now. I'm not sure if he wants to fight me. I feel like I've beat him in the stand-up department so I think it's only fair he gives me the chance, the shot at the world title," Haggerty said.
"I want to defend my Muay Thai belt as much as possible, defend the kickboxing belt as much as possible and get my hands on the MMA belt.
"I'm looking to become the three-sport world champion. That's the goal.
"Fabricio, I'm coming for you."
Watch Haggerty vs Lobo live on Sky Sports Arena from 1am on Saturday morning
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