Freddie Haggerty Has Japan In His Sights After The Inner Circle On May 22
Freddie Haggerty was ringside at Ariake Arena last month when his big brother Jonathan retained the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title at ONE SAMURAI 1 in Tokyo. He watched the crowd, felt the atmosphere, and filed the experience away for future reference.
The 21-year-old returns to competition at The Inner Circle on Friday, May 22, facing Yonis Anane in strawweight Muay Thai at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. A win puts him back in the contract conversation — and, if Friday night goes the way he expects, potentially on a trajectory toward the very stage he witnessed his brother command last month.
“Being there for my brother at ONE SAMURAI 1 was just amazing,” Haggerty said. “Everything was special.”
The impression Tokyo left on him was not lost on anyone watching. ONE SAMURAI is a monthly series now, the next edition already confirmed, and Freddie knows exactly what a statement performance at The Inner Circle this week could unlock.
“We fighters live for these sorts of moments,” he said. “I’m looking to get myself on one of those shows because it’ll be massive.”
Before Japan, there is unfinished business closer to home. A majority decision loss to Jordan “Panda Kick” Estupinan at ONE 170 last January remains the one result on Freddie’s promotional record that sits uncomfortably. It was his only loss in ONE Championship, on a main card stage, against an opponent he believes he has the tools to beat.
“I’m ready for anyone,” Haggerty said. “Maybe even a rematch against Jordan, so I can have a chance to redeem myself.”
Friday night, however, is where the groundwork gets laid. A knockout of Yonis Anane, a fighter Freddie has mapped out specifically and plans to finish in the second round, would be the kind of result that moves the needle quickly. The ambitions beyond it are clear, the path to them is not complicated, and the 21-year-old has no intention of taking the scenic route.
“Japan will be nice,” he said.
READ MORE: Stamp Fairtex Returns To Muay Thai Against Cynthia Flores At The Inner Circle On June 26
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