Jonathan Haggerty is set to defend his ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title against Wei Rui on Feb. 20, at ONE 171 in Qatar. This highly anticipated matchup will take place at the Lusail Sports Arena. Haggerty is looking to bounce back from a recent defeat that saw him lose his bantamweight Muay Thai championship to Superlek Kiatmoo9 in September 2024. Haggerty aims to demonstrate his power and reclaim his status as one of the top strikers in the sport.
Wei Rui is a decorated Chinese kickboxer who has not lost since 2018, and earned his title shot after a unanimous decision victory over former champion Hiroki Akimoto in his ONE Championship debut. Wei has an impressive career record with 70 wins and multiple championship titles across various organizations, including K-1.
‘The Genera’ eventually moved up in weight, achieving a first-round TKO victory over Nong-O Hama in Apr. 2023 for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship. Haggerty then secured the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title by knocking out Fabricio Andrade, making him a rare two-sport ONE World Champion. Despite a recent loss of his Muay Thai title to Superlek Kiatmoo9, Haggerty aims to retain his kickboxing title against Wei Rui at ONE 171.
Jonathan Haggerty
Speaking in an interview, UK’s Jonathan Haggerty explained his goals in this championship match:
We are here now, and it’s up to me to go in there and put the W in front of the L. I’m going from the pound-for-pound best in Superlek to another world-class striker in Wei Rui, so I certainly rate him highly. He beat Hiroki Akimoto, who is great opposition in his own right. So, we are not taking him lightly.But we do think we can do a demolition job on him, for sure. I feel confident that I can put on a spectacular performance. I want to go down the same route as I did against Andrade, so I’m thinking a second-round stoppage. I’m coming to show everyone why I’m still the best in the world.
The stakes are high for both competitors: Haggerty seeks redemption and to maintain his championship status, while Wei aims to capture gold and solidify his legacy in the sport. As they prepare for this clash, fans eagerly await what promises to be a pillar contest in kickboxing. Anticipation builds for what could be a defining moment in their respective careers.