Yuki Yoza Eyes A Knockout Against Jonathan Haggerty At ONE SAMURAI 1
Yuki Yoza told Jonathan Haggerty he was coming for him before he had even signed with ONE Championship. He was a cornerman at a ONE event, spotted Haggerty ringside, walked over, and made his intentions plain. Haggerty said yes. The conversation was brief. The preparation that followed was not.
The 28-year-old Japanese kickboxer challenges ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan “The General” Haggerty at ONE SAMURAI 1 on April 29, live from Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.
He arrives carrying a 13-fight winning streak and a 22-2 record, built through consecutive wins over Elbrus “The Samurai” Osmanov, former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Petchtanong Petchfergus, and most recently reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek — three fights that left no doubt about his readiness for this moment.
“All three of my fights leading up to this title match have really been main-event level fights,” Yoza said. “Even so, I fought my way through a very tough road to get here and finally reached this long-awaited title match.”
Haggerty has held the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title through a run of increasingly difficult defences, combining technical precision with the kind of five-round durability that has broken determined challengers before. His ability to control range, land clean strikes in combination, and impose his timing on opponents makes him one of the most difficult stylistic puzzles in the division. Yoza has spent camp building a specific answer to those problems rather than relying on a general approach.
“I think he’s more of a skilled fighter rather than just a strong fighter,” Yoza said. “Under ONE’s rules, a fighter who can score points and win consistently is what I consider a very skilled fighter.”
Studying hours of Haggerty footage has given Yoza one piece of information he considers critical. The champion’s composure under pressure is renowned, but Yoza believes there are readable signals when that composure wavers — signals he intends to find and exploit early.
“He’s fairly easy to read through his facial expressions. When he’s in trouble or when he gets hit, it shows on his face,” he said.
Three consecutive decisions have drawn questions about Yoza’s finishing ability at the elite level. He has heard them, and the extra length of a five-round title fight, rather than representing a threat, suits the answer he plans to give.
“Other than his experience in five-round fights, I think I’m better than him in every aspect. Of course, I believe I have the advantage,” Yoza said. “How do I plan to win? Of course, by KO. People kept saying, ‘Get the finish,’ but I couldn’t get the knockout in my last three fights. This time, I’m really confident.”
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