ONE Samurai 1: Yuki Yoza Targets KO Glory Against Jonathan Haggerty In Tokyo

Former K-1 Champion Yuki Yoza will face Jonathan Haggerty for the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title. The bout headlines ONE SAMURAI 1 on 29 April. The event takes place at Tokyo's Ariake Arena. National pride and division control sit on this clash.

Yoza is 28 and fights from Japan. He holds a 22-2 professional record. His style relies on heavy kicks and sharp timing. That attack has broken many rivals during his rise. He now stands one win away from his first ONE world title.

The Japanese striker owns a perfect 3-0 record in ONE. Each outing came against tougher rivals. His promotional debut in 2025 featured Elbrus Osmanov. Osmanov entered as an unbeaten fighter. Yoza beat him and showed he belonged on the global stage.

Yoza next met former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Petchtanong Petchfergus. He dominated that contest and stopped the veteran. The biggest step came in November last year. Yoza shocked fans by beating reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek. That upset in Japan pushed him into title talks.

ONE Samurau 1: Yoza Eyes Knockout In Tokyo

Haggerty brings deep experience and his own strong record. The UK striker is 29 years old. He holds a 23-5 professional mark. Inside ONE, he stands at 9-3. The bout gives him a chance to defend his belt against a streaking local star.

The two fighters first met before Yoza signed with ONE. Yoza attended a card as a cornerman for Masaaki Noiri. He approached Haggerty backstage. "I said something like, 'I'm getting closer, so let's do it.' And he replied, 'Yeah, let's do it,'" Yoza said.

That early exchange now becomes a title fight on home soil. Yoza knows the stakes for his career and Japan. Critics noted that his last three bouts went the distance. He still dominated each time. He now aims to answer those doubts in Tokyo.

Yoza has clear plans for how he wants to win. "How do I plan to win? Of course, by KO. And finally this fight is five rounds. People kept saying, 'Get the finish,' but I couldn't get the knockout in my last three fights. This time, I'm really confident," Yoza said.