The calendar hadn’t given Johan “Jojo” Ghazali much time to celebrate before 2025 turned on him.

Fresh off a devastating first-round knockout of Josue Cruz at ONE 168: Denver that earned him a US$50,000 performance bonus, the Malaysian-American prodigy entered January riding momentum that seemed unstoppable. Then Johan Estupinan handed him a unanimous decision loss. Five months later, Diego Paez delivered another defeat — a split decision at ONE Fight Night 32 that left the teenage knockout artist staring at consecutive losses for the first time in his career.

The setbacks arrived at the worst possible time. Ghazali had just relocated to Thailand, leaving his comfort zone to train under undisputed ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon at the champion’s namesake gym. Former Thai legend Nong-O Hama became his primary sparring partner. Petchtanong Petchfergus handled his conditioning. World-famous Trainer Gae sharpened his weapons. The 19-year-old was adapting to a new system while simultaneously facing the highest level of competition in ONE Championship’s stacked flyweight Muay Thai division.

“Estupinan was a fun fight, and Paez was another good one. I do not make excuses, but it was a big year for me as I had just moved to Superbon Training Camp, training out for the first time. I was out of my comfort zone,” Ghazali said. “I was adapting, I needed to bring a new game, a new skill set. While [losing] did hurt, guys like Superbon, Nong-O, Petchtanong, and Trainer Gae told me I’m on the right path. I stuck to their advice, knowing I would eventually find a way out.”

That faith paid dividends in September when Ghazali faced Zakaria El Jamari at ONE Fight Night 35. The teenager who’d built his reputation on explosive power showed something different — patience, technical precision, methodical striking that set up his finish. When the right elbow finally landed and sent El Jamari crashing to the canvas at 2:10 of the opening round, Ghazali didn’t wait for confirmation. He walked away with supreme confidence, knowing the transformation was complete.

“I had worked hard, and to get that first-round finish meant a lot. It showed that I was right where I needed to be. It went just as planned. I came for the knockout, yes, but I did show new aspects of my game with the kicks, the patience, and the technical aspects of it. It was beautiful,” he said. “The year taught me a lot. Those defeats, in a way, were a chapter that I’m grateful for. Losses teach us to bounce back stronger, and, like I always say, pressure makes diamonds. So fans got to witness that when I got my knockout win. I silenced the critics and the doubters.”

That redemption narrative continues on January 23 when Ghazali squares off against Filipino-American striker Sean Climaco at ONE Fight Night 39 on Prime Video inside Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium. The matchup carries extra weight. Climaco owns a victory over Paez, the same fighter who handed Ghazali his second consecutive loss this year. It’s a chance to kill two birds with one stone, to prove the lessons learned in Thailand have made him a more complete martial artist.

“This is a matchup that makes sense. He beat Diego Paez, I lost to Diego Paez, and I think it’ll be an exciting one. I’ll kill two birds with one stone if I get the win here. Insha-Allah, if all goes well, it should be easy,” Ghazali said. “I just want to continue getting more victories, continue putting my name out there, and keep up my evolution as a fighter. These are my three main goals. The flyweight division is stacked. There is a tough road ahead, but, if anything, 2025 taught me that I can arise from challenges.”

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