Johan Ghazali Hopes To Fight In U.S. In 2024 After Successful Debut At ONE Fight Night 17

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ONE Championship newcomer Johan Ghazali had a golden opportunity to introduce himself to the world on U.S. primetime this past weekend at ONE Fight Night 17, and he made the most of it.

The Malaysian-Amercan striker met Edgar Tabares in Muay Thai action this past Saturday, December 9, and destroyed him in just 36 seconds inside Bangkok, Thailand's famed Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.

There was plenty of hype surrounding Ghazali's debut on ONE's biggest stage after his triumphant run in the promotion's Friday Fights series. The 17-year-old star was hoping to add to his four-fight winning streak, and he was excited about what was to come after doing so in style against Tabares.

"I feel amazing, you know. It feels like my dreams are coming true. So yeah, it feels great," Ghazali said. "I mean, if it was up to me, I would like to fight next week.

"But I have to go home, you know, I have to get my driver's license; I have to finish school first. I'll finish school in February, so I mean March maybe, I don't know. When I finish school, I'll be back as soon as I can, so yeah."

Across five promotional outings, Ghazali has knocked out four adversaries, with his fastest knockout coming in 16 seconds. Many have the young star pegged as the next Rodtang Jitmuangnon - ONE's flyweight Muay Thai king.

That could lead any up-and-comer to grow an ego, but Ghazali remains grounded, and he's ready to live up to the expectations that come with being a superstar in ONE Championship.

"You know, I see the hype. I see the promotion they're putting behind me, and, of course, I feel the pressure, you know," he said. "I feel the expectations, but I'm ready for it, you know. I'm ready for it."

Born in Sarawak, Malaysia, Ghazali has American relatives on his mother's side. He has ties in the Southwest and hopes to someday compete in front of his family there.

Thanks to ONE Championship's partnership with Amazon Prime, that dream is now possible. The world's largest martial arts organization debuted in the U.S. this past May, and it has four more events set to take place in the country in 2024.

So if Ghazali plays his cards right and continues to make statements inside the ring, there's every chance he could find himself taking his talents to North America in the coming year.

"It would be amazing, you know. I have family in the U.S. They're in New Mexico," He said. "I would love for them to watch me fight live, you know, somewhere in the U.S. Yeah, it'd be cool to showcase my skills, showcase my heart in U.S. land."