Malaysian-American phenom Johan Ghazali will come stateside for the first time in his career as he joins the loaded lineup at ONE 168: Denver. After suffering the first defeat of his young career against Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat at ONE 167, the 17-year-old will try to bounce back against Josue Cruz in a flyweight Muay Thai contest. It goes down at the Ball Arena on Friday, September 6.
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Ghazali burst onto the scene on ONE Friday Fights with four consecutive victories, including three knockouts. By proving himself on the event series, “Jojo” made his way to U.S. primetime, where he dispatched Edgar Tabares in 36 seconds. The momentum brought him to ONE 167 and Duy Nhat as his first opportunity against the upper echelon.
Although he took a loss by unanimous decision, Ghazali showcased his skills nicely. Still in the infancy of his career, “Jojo” competed with an elite striker for three rounds. The learning experience should only serve to make him a more complete athlete in each match to come.
For Cruz, it is a prime opportunity to notch his first win in ONE Championship. The Mexican striker came into ONE unbeaten but quickly found out the competition was much stiffer on the global stage. Ghazali offers him an opportunity to steal some thunder and restate his status as a future contender.
Ghazali vs. Cruz will be a great introduction for both men to a live U.S. audience. ONE 168: Denver airs live on Prime Video on Friday, September 6. The event begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is free for all Amazon Prime members in the U.S. and Canada.
