Superlek gunning for Jonathan Haggerty’s gold: “I want his belt”

Superlek Kiatmoo9 may be facing a monumental task in his next outing, but that does not diminish his confidence in the slightest. 

The reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion challenges Jonathan Haggerty for the Englishman’s bantamweight Muay Thai gold. This matchup headlines ONE 168: Denver, taking place at the Ball Arena on September 6.

“The Kicking Machine” is regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound strikers on the planet today. That reputation has only been reinforced by his recent victories over Takeru Segawa and Rodtang Jitmuangnon.

After his win against Kongthoranee Sor Sommai in June, Superlek is shifting his focus to another high-profile bout.

In Denver, the Thai sensation aims to capture another World Title in a different weight class and under a different rule set.

“I know this is a different thing for me, a different belt. So this is a new challenge for me and I want his belt too,” Superlek said.

While moving up in weight introduces some uncertainty, Superlek remains confident in his ability to maintain his best attributes as a fighter.

“I don’t think going up one weight class will slow me down,” he said.

Superlek vows to beat Jonathan Haggerty in rematch

It’s worth noting that this is not the first time that Superlek Kiatmoo9 and Jonathan Haggerty will share the same stage.

Both men first fought each other outside of ONE Championship in December 2018. Superlek won the initial encounter after a doctor’s stoppage in the second round, owing to a serious cut on Haggerty’s left eye.

Superlek exudes optimism that he will be able to attain an encore performance in his rematch against “The General.”

“I believe that I have made huge improvements since the last time he fought me,” he said. “I’ve been with ONE for a while, and I have grown comfortable with the style and the smaller gloves.”