Wei Rui takes aim at Jonathan Haggerty’s kickboxing gold: “The next challenger”

Following his successful ONE Championship debut, Wei Rui feels that he has rightfully earned the opportunity to challenge Jonathan Haggerty for the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship.

His maiden appearance in the world’s largest martial arts organization left a lasting impression. At ONE Fight Night 22 on Prime Video last Friday, May 3, he faced none other than former divisional ruler and current #1-ranked contender Hiroki Akimoto.

This was no ordinary assignment for the K-1 Champion. There, he and Akimoto engaged in a back-and-forth battle.

After three grueling rounds of intense action, Wei walked away with a close unanimous decision.

Having overcome such a tough opponent in his first outing, he sees his victory over Akimoto as a stepping stone to a date with Haggerty.

“I think I am qualified to be the next belt challenger. Because, as you know, Hiroki used to be the champion, and I beat him. That means I can definitely [challenge for] the belt,” he said.

However, Wei understands that he must bide his time before getting a crack at one of Haggerty’s belts.

The Englishman is scheduled to defend his bantamweight Muay Thai crown against flyweight kickboxing king Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 168: Denver on September 6.

This delay, though, is seen as a blessing in disguise by Wei. He believes it gives him ample time to prepare meticulously for a potential clash with Haggerty.

“Challenging the champion, of course, is not an easy thing to do. I have to prepare a lot, and I think, in the next stage, I will focus on my training. I will follow a long-term, systematic training plan,” he said.

Wei Rui feels he outperformed Hiroki Akimoto

The outcome of Wei Rui’s bout with Hiroki Akimoto has sparked debates among fans regarding who truly emerged victorious.

Reflecting on his encounter with Akimoto, Wei is confident that he did enough to secure a convincing victory.

“He did a lot of crazy things,” Wei said. “But he didn’t really dominate the fight as you could see him struggling. He can’t fight at my pace, and I’m always unpredictable. That is also my greatest technique.”