Johan Ghazali Aiming To Avenge Loss To Diego Paez At The Inner Circle 35
Johan “Jojo” Ghazali has never shied away from the deep end. At just 19, the Malaysian-American has absorbed tough defeats against elite opposition, and he insists every one of them made him better.
He gets the chance to prove it against Diego Paez in a flyweight Muay Thai rematch at The Inner Circle 35 on Friday, October 16, live in Asia primetime from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The event streams exclusively for subscribers at live.onefc.com.
Their first meeting at ONE Fight Night 32 in June 2025 was a three-round firefight that Paez edged by split decision for his first ONE victory. Ghazali rebounded with wins over Zakaria El Jamari and Ye Yint Naung, but his most recent defeat came against Ramadan “The Scorpion” Ondash.
Paez, meanwhile, lost narrowly to Black Panther at ONE Fight Night 42 in April. Both of those conquerors now sit in the field for the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix, and the Sarawakian sees that as proof of the level he has been competing at.
“I’m more than happy to be losing against the best in the world rather than fighting nobodies and winning. Because of this, I learned so much. I’m able to improve my game at a much faster pace, albeit with the sacrifice of me losing,” Ghazali said.
“I believe in God’s timing, above all. I have time. Sometimes God doesn’t give you what you want, and he gives you something better. It is what it is. I’m focused on this fight.”
Much of his growth has come at Bangkok’s Superbon Training Camp. The Rentap Muaythai Gym product believes the version of himself arriving at Lumpinee is a very different fighter from the one Paez beat.
Paez, a 32-year-old Colombian-American, wins on timing and precision rather than raw power. Ghazali is chasing the 28th victory of his career, and he is open to any route that gets him there.
“I’m much faster, more experienced, and I have much better weapons since the last time we fought. I think I beat him in all aspects. It could end in a knockout or me cruising to the end and beating him on points. My options are open. I’ll gladly take the win with either scenario,” he said.
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