Johan Ghazali is an upbeat teen who has emerged as a superstar in ONE Championship. However, in 2024, he tasted defeat for the first time in his professional career when he lost to Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat at ONE 167. Still, “Jojo” has remained positive and is ready to use what he learned for a special year in 2025.
Johan Ghazali Weighs In On Awesome 2024 in ONE Championship
“I think 2024 was a very successful year. It was pretty slow, but it was a pretty successful year for me. I had my first loss in ONE Championship this year, and I learned a lot from it, but I’m ready to bounce back and do my best,” Johan Ghazali remarked to ONE.
As a teen, Johan Ghazali understands that each match he has inside the ring is a learning experience. While he would have loved a victory over the Vietnamese star, Ghazali is ready to move forward. The Malaysian-American is intent on showing his improvements and becoming a serious threat in the flyweight division.
Teenage sensation Johan Ghazali continues to put the Muay Thai world on NOTICE 👊 What's next for "Jojo?"
Watch the full ONE 168: Denver event replay:
🇺🇸🇨🇦 on Prime 👉 https://t.co/0ZILlG5VTp
🌍 on https://t.co/eBUfsOmxDL (geo-restrictions may apply) pic.twitter.com/hdNDT5jDTl— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) September 9, 2024
“I learned that life goes on no matter what, and no matter how much hardship life throws at you, you have to keep going, keep your head up, and just stay focused,” the teen said.
Johan Ghazali Looking to Turn the Page in 2025 After September Win
After returning in style at ONE 168 with a win over Josue Cruz, the 18-year-old is looking to restart his winning streak at ONE 170 against Johan Estupinan. The flyweight Muay Thai showdown on Friday, January 24, will be a pivotal battle between both young guns. The winner will make a huge push toward the top-end of the division, which is exactly where “Jojo” hopes to be by year’s end.
Clash of PHENOMS ⚔️ Malaysian-American teenage prodigy Johan Ghazali battles unbeaten Colombian spark plug Johan Estupinan in a flyweight Muay Thai firefight on January 24 at ONE 170! Will "Jojo" hand "Panda Kick" his first pro defeat?#ONE170 | Jan 24 7:30PM ICT/7:30AM ET
🌎… pic.twitter.com/RWeA1U6TZ0— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) November 28, 2024
“My biggest goal next year is to be at least top-five ranked in the flyweight division and spread my influence throughout Malaysia. Show people my skills and show people that Muay Thai fighters deserve to be alongside other stars from different sports, like football and other bigger sports,” the flyweight stated.
Staying consistent is key to the 18-year-old’s plans. To do so, Johan Ghazali is already eyeing future events like ONE 171 and ONE 172 to stay on track to become a contender. However, the real goal is to bring ONE back to Malaysia and show out in front of his friends and family at home.
“I would love to fight in Qatar. I would love to fight in Japan. But my biggest goal is to bring ONE Championship back to Kuala Lumpur, so hopefully ONE Championship will organize another event at Axiata Arena again, and I can headline that card. That would be a dream come true,” Ghazali gleefully said.
