The epic showdown between Superlek Kiatmoo9 and Jonathan Haggerty is near. The Brit will defend his ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship against the flyweight kickboxing king at ONE 168: Denver on Friday, September 6. However, it is not the first time the two have tussled.
In 2018, Superlek defeated Haggerty by TKO. A doctor halted the action, and that lone act has festered under the Thai’s skin ever since. In Denver, he’ll have a chance to prove that he still is the better man when they collide for the first time in ONE Championship.
“Haggerty has always been someone [I wanted] a rematch with since our first match in 2018. That fight was stopped by the ref. I won by TKO, but the crowd wasn’t happy. There was a lot of booing as if I didn’t deserve to win. I want to prove that I can still win the fight without a ref stopping it prematurely,” Superlek made clear to ONE.
The lingering question of what may have happened if the bout was not stopped still eats away at “The Kicking Machine.” It remains a motivating factor heading into the main event of ONE 168. If he can silence his loudest critics, Superlek will walk out of Denver with 26 pounds of gold.
“I’m not happy that I was questioned, as if I wasn’t able to win without the stoppage. I want to prove people wrong. I have always wanted a rematch,” the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion said.
Superlek is setting the stage for an incredible match. According to the Muay Thai master, he will go for broke from the outset of the match. While that may be uncharacteristic for Superlek, he wants to give the fans an unforgettable title match between two of the pound-for-pound best strikers on the planet.
“This fight will be the first time ever I’ll go 100 percent all out, putting a lot of pressure. I will be aggressive. Fans may know us as technical fighters, but they can expect an explosive fight on September 6. I’m looking for a knockout. It’s high risk. I may lose my record of never being knocked out in my entire career, but I’m going for it. I’m giving my all for this fight,” the Thai star remarked.
Both have evolved into elite athletes in the six years since their first meeting. Because of that, Superlek does not believe there will be a huge difference in their strengths and weaknesses. Instead, he feels that the determining factor will be the small details that happen within the match itself.
“[Haggerty has] a lot of strengths, barely any weaknesses. He’s fast, has excellent footwork, and is a technical fighter with knockout power. He has a lot of tricks up his sleeves. He’s in his prime with lots of confidence. I wouldn’t say there are any weaknesses for him. Athletes at this level don’t really have so-called weaknesses. In my opinion, it’s all about the timing. It’s all about the openings, and I’ll be looking for them to finish the fight nicely,” Superlek detailed.
Superlek will take the win however it comes, but he is adamant he wants the finish. Despite saying he’ll go all-out right away, he is not discounting the possibility of taking the fight into the championship rounds. If that happens, he suspects he’ll still have an advantage from his past experiences swimming in deep waters.
“I’d like to win by knockout. Haggerty has never reached the fourth round when defending his belt, but I have. It doesn’t matter if it’s cut short or goes the distance. I’ll find the opening to get the finish,” Superlek said.
ONE 168: Denver airs live on Friday, September 6, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Prime Video. The event is free for all Amazon Prime members in the U.S. and Canada. Remaining tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.
