Felipe Lobo aiming for statement-making win over Jonathan Haggerty: “I want to show him who I am”

Rivalries often add an extra layer of intensity to matchups. And the upcoming ONE Fight Night 19 on Prime Video headliner promises to deliver just that.

Beyond the pursuit of glory, Felipe Lobo seeks to settle a personal beef with Jonathan Haggerty. The bout will be an emphatic clash for the latter’s ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title.

This five-round duel airs live in U.S. primetime from the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on February 16.

The tension between the two have been boiling for quite some time. It reached a fever pitch after Haggerty’s monumental win over ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion Fabricio Andrade for the vacant kickboxing crown in November.

The aftermath of the matchup should have been a moment of sportsmanship. However, it turned into a heated exchange between Haggerty and Lobo, who was serving as one of Andrade’s cornermen that evening.

“[Haggerty] walked past me and said, ‘You’re next,’’’ Lobo said.

“I said, ‘Let’s see what happens next time. I’m waiting for you.’ His coaches came and said a lot of things, but I couldn’t understand because everyone was talking at the same time. He likes to talk a lot. He is talkative.”

One of the driving forces behind this encounter is Haggerty’s penchant for smack talk. This, undoubtedly, has gotten under Lobo’s skin.

The disrespectful words from the Brit striker have only fueled Lobo’s motivation to silence him in the most emphatic way possible.

“This confrontation certainly increased my desire to face him. Especially because in the ring, he said I was a nobody. So, I want to show him who I am,” the Brazilian said.

Felipe Lobo predicts KO win over Jonathan Haggerty

Despite the animosity, Felipe Lobo acknowledges the unique challenges Haggerty presents in the ring at ONE Fight Night 19 on Prime Video.

However, Lobo is quick to point out what he perceives as weaknesses in Haggerty’s game.

“His weak point is that he can’t take many hits. He’s very good at hitting, but when it comes to defending himself, protecting himself, he’s not so good.”

Haggerty may have given his past opponents problems with his all-action style. However, Lobo is confident he holds the right strategy to counteract it.

“I think there will be a lot of striking in this fight. I’m preparing myself for everything, walking backward, moving forwards, to suppress, but I keep in mind that I can’t let him get comfortable in the fight,” he said.

“But my prediction is to win this fight by knockout. I’m going to knock him out – that’s my prediction.”