In a matter of days, Jonathan Haggerty defends the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title against Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 168: Denver. It will be one of the biggest title tilts in the sport’s history. When the bell rings on Friday, September 6, ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon will be one of the most interested observers.
Rodtang has had wars with both men in ONE Championship. At flyweight, he and Haggerty had memorable encounters, and most recently, last year, “The Iron Man” met “The Kicking Machine” in an all-time classic. It has given the Thai star incredible insight into how this title tilt could play out in Denver.
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“Haggerty’s strength is he has been fighting in this division for a long time. He can punch very hard and violently. Superlek’s strengths are his powerful kicks and exceptional defensive abilities. I’ve never seen anyone that can knock Superlek out before,” Rodtang stated to ONE.
Since moving up to bantamweight, Haggerty has been impressive. He has knocked out legends such as Nong-O Hama and bested other champions like Fabricio Andrade. But Superlek already holds a win over “The General,” spurring additional motivation for the Brit.
Rodtang knows that both men are in peak form. With two of the top pound-for-pound strikers going toe-to-toe, the Thai superstar is preparing his popcorn for an all-out battle. He is getting to enjoy these two anytime they step foot inside the Circle.
“I’m confident that we’re going to see an exciting fight, full of thrills every second. I’m looking forward to watching this fight. Both are number one in Muay Thai and kickboxing. No matter who they fight, that fight is a must-see,” the flyweight Muay Thai titleholder commented.
Rodtang stopped short of picking a winner for the match. In four-ounce gloves, anything can happen. However, he did predict fans could be in for an elite-level showdown that could enter championship rounds.
“It has a high chance to end with a KO. It’s hard for me to predict, but In the first round, the two will get to know each other. In the second round, they will start trading weapons. If both of them are careful, it should end in the third or fourth round,” Rodtang said.
In lieu of a prediction, Rodtang did offer that he thinks Haggerty has a slight advantage because the match is at bantamweight. Having competed in the division full-time, he feels the Brit is more acclimated to everything that goes with it. Still, he’ll throw his support behind his countryman and hope a new champion is crowned inside the Ball Arena.
“This match is close. Both are elite fighters and their skills are on par. It’ll depend on who makes mistakes first. Jonathan Haggerty has the edge. In terms of weight, he has been fighting in this division for a long time. Anyway, I’ll root for [Superlek],” Rodtang stated.
ONE 168: Denver airs live on Prime Video on Friday, September 6, from the Ball Arena. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is free for all Amazon Prime members based in the U.S. and Canada.
