ONE Championship: Jonathan Haggerty prepares attack on bantamweight Muay Thai division

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Bengaluru, November 7: Former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Jonathan Haggerty is preparing to make a run at bantamweight starting on November 19 at ONE Fight Night 4: Abbasov vs. Lee.

Haggerty will take on Vladimir Kuzmin in the headliner of the lead card that evening at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore.

Stepping up a weight class can be dangerous if not done right, but Haggerty is confident that the move will work in his favor. In fact, he feels that he will pack even more of a punch in his new bracket.

"I know, stepping up a division, it's going to be harder to put them away. But I've got a saying: In the flyweight division, I was struggling to keep them on the canvas. But now that I'm in the bantamweight division and I'm bigger, they're going to stay down, and they're not going to get back up," Haggerty explained.

The British striking sensation's debut at bantamweight adds to the already stacked division. Haggerty is aware of the pedigree it offers, but he's warning the current roster if they think they'll have a size advantage over him inside the ONE Circle.

"I'm expecting these guys to think that they can outmuscle me, you know? They need to remember I'm coming up a division, but I'm not just going to be a flyweight in there with them. I'm going to be putting on mass. I'm going to be gaining strength. I'm going to be exactly the same as these guys," he said.

There are no easy fights for Haggerty on his journey through his new division, and Kuzmin is no exception.

The 24-year-old Russian got off to a winning start in ONE when he took out Scotland's Chris Shaw in his debut last year. He then came tantalizingly close to besting former Lumpinee Muay Thai World Champion Muangthai PK.Saenchai in his second outing, missing out on the win by a split decision.

Haggerty knows he'll have his work cut out at ONE Fight Night 4, but he is confident that his knowledge of the game will get him where he needs to go.

"You know, it is a tricky opponent for my first bantamweight fight. But like I said, I'm always ready. I will be ready. But I'm expecting him to come out and put the pressure on me with his hands. He can try outmuscling me, but I feel like the counterstrikes and my Muay Thai experience will kick in," he said.

Haggerty may have his hands full preparing for Kuzmin, but he's already considering who is next for him in the division.

As a former World Champion, bantamweight Muay Thai king Nong-O Gaiyanghadao is, of course, on his mind. But he's also keen to take on Muangthai to improve his stock in the division.

"I don't want to think ahead, but I really do think my footwork and my style will be a real challenge for Nong-O Gaiyanghadao. My youth, my fitness, and the way I'm going to feel now at bantamweight, the more confident I'm going to be. I'm going to be fit. I just feel like my footwork and my youth will be a challenge for Nong-O," Haggerty said.

"I'd like to fight [Muangthai] next because I think he's a good name to beat. Then that just puts me straight in the top five."

Source: Media Release