The days are ticking away before Jonathan Haggerty defends his ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Championship against Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 168: Denver on Friday, Sep. 6.
As “The General” prepares his battle plan for the highly-anticipated rematch, Haggerty ensures everyone he has crossed all of the Ts and dotted the Is to enter in peak form.
“We’ve left no stone unturned. I know everybody says this, but really, this is the hardest camp I’ve ever done. This is 13 weeks of solid, hard work, dieting, head down,” Haggerty told ONE.
The elevation in Denver is always a factor when it comes to elite athletics, and the Brit has made his way over to the Mile High City in preparation for the conditions.
When the bell rings, there should be no cardio issues for the bantamweight king.
“We’re out here in Denver acclimatizing. I think it was a great idea to come out four weeks before the fight,” Haggerty mentioned.
“We just wanted to get a head start. We wanted to get our foot in the door as soon as possible. You know, we wanted to get a head start. So we came out to Denver four weeks before to acclimatize, get used to it, no excuses. So when fight night comes, we’re more than ready.”
Getting into town early has been a benefit for “The General.” However, according to the talented striker, it is not just a physical benefit.
There is security in knowing that it is another thing crossed off the checklist before he defends the crown.
“We’re so high up, and I’m trying to catch a breath after a hectic round on the pads. It’s pretty hard. The first day we got here, it was hard. But we’ve done so well to acclimatize so early, and we’re up in the mountains now running, doing our fitness.
“I mean, it’s an advantage, but mainly, it’s great for the mind, you know? Just to know that you are ready and one step ahead.”
“The General” has even had time to survey the battlegrounds of Denver, and he has been impressed by the local scene.
The picturesque scenery has captivated Haggerty and provided a beautiful backdrop for his training in America.
“I love it. I love the culture out here, everything. I love the mountains and being surrounded by the mountains. We were up there this morning, running the mountains. It’s very pure out here,” Haggerty described.
“So today we went up to Red Rocks for a bit of altitude training. We done some stair runs, some sprints. It’s pretty hard. But each training session is hard. I enjoy it when it’s hard. If it’s not hard, I don’t enjoy it.”
With ONE 168 just off in the horizon, the Brit is settling in for one of the biggest Muay Thai matches in history.
The setting offered by Denver has the reigning champion calm and collected to deliver another standout performance on the global stage.
“Yeah it’s amazing, the atmosphere, just soaking it all in, really, especially when we was there when the sun was just rising,” Haggerty said.
“So it was a great, great experience, just to experience it with all of us. And yeah, it was amazing. Somewhere I’ll definitely come back to.”
ONE 168: Denver airs live on Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Friday, Sep. 6. Remaining tickets for the event are on sale via Ticketmaster.