ONE Championship: Jonathan Haggerty tells Rodtang, Superlek and Tawanchai ‘I’ll take your heads off’
- New two-sport king intends to ‘stand at the top’ in ONE, with Muay Thai superstars on Briton’s hit list after beating Fabricio Andrade
- ‘I like the sound of Tawanchai. I don’t know why I do it to myself, but I love a challenge. He’s massive, I don’t care,’ Haggerty says
New two-sport king Jonathan Haggerty revealed he plans to “stand at the top” in ONE Championship with Muay Thai superstars Rodtang Jitmuangnon, Superlek Kiatmookao and even Tawanchai PK Saenchai on his hit list.
“The General” claimed the vacant ONE bantamweight kickboxing title with a stunning second-round TKO of Fabricio Andrade at ONE Fight Night 16 in Bangkok on Saturday.
Britain’s Haggerty, who also owns the bantamweight Muay Thai title in ONE, now has a plethora of options across multiple sports, including an audacious tilt at Andrade’s MMA belt.
A Muay Thai title defence is first, according to both Haggerty and ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, and that could set up a highly anticipated rematch with Rodtang – whom he lost to twice at flyweight in ONE – or Superlek – who beat him on a doctor stoppage because of a cut in 2018.
A “dream” fight with featherweight champ Tawanchai is more of a remote idea, but the 26-year-old told the Post he plans to “take all their heads off”.
“Anyone can get it, I don’t dodge a fight. Anyone who steps in front of me, I’ll put them away,” Haggerty said backstage after his win.
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“All three – Tawanchai, Rodtang, Superlek – at the same time. They’ll probably put that on, to be fair, won’t they? Tag team. I’m only joking.”
“I like the sound of Tawanchai, to be honest,” he added. “It’s the bigger challenge. I don’t know why I do it to myself, but I love a challenge. People say he’s massive, I don’t care.”
A rematch with Nong-O Hama is also a possibility, as is a British derby with legendary Liam Harrison in the UK, with the 38-year-old “Hitman” set to return to action in January, where a convincing win could earn him a title shot.
“I mean I feel like he’s [Harrison] got to win a few fights, I’d love to put him away as well, so see how it goes,” Haggerty said.
Whoever is next for Haggerty, they will know now – if they did not already – that they will be up against a fighter who continues to go from strength to strength each fight since moving up a division late last year.
“One hundred per cent. I made this weight easily. I was underweight, fully hydrated,” he said.
“I’m very comfortable, and when I’m comfortable, I’m dangerous. And when I’m dangerous, I’m the two-sport champ.”
