Jonathan Haggerty is preparing for his first defense of the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title while half a world away from his native land, but he feels right at home.
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The British striking superstar is in final preparations to meet the challenge of Felipe Lobo in the main event of ONE Fight Night 19: Haggerty vs. Lobo this Friday, February 16, inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, where he has been living for the past few years.
Jonathan Haggerty puts girlfriend on well-deserved pedestal
Being away from friends and family for so long can take a toll on a person’s mindset and recenter their focus, but, luckily, Haggerty has his girlfriend, Kenzie, with him at all times.
“It’s great having her alongside me. It’s motivational. I get to come home after a hard day of training, have a little chill with her, and let my hair down,” the 26-year-old told ONE in a recent interview.
“When I’m in fight camp, she’s in fight camp. She hears all the moaning. She gets an earful sometimes, but she’s very supportive of what I do. And I couldn’t do it without her if I am totally honest. So, I’m very grateful that I have someone beside me.”
The pair met in London, where Haggerty usually lives and trains. However, being a two-sport ONE World Champion means he constantly has a target on his back. So, to stay close to close to the action, it made sense for Haggerty to base himself in Asia.
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The world’s largest martial arts organization regularly broadcasts shows from Bangkok, and with “The General” claiming both the bantamweight Muay Thai and kickboxing crowns last year, he is able to live comfortably with his partner on the island of Koh Samui.
‘The General’s stance on ONE Championship
As such, he is motivated to keep winning matches in spectacular fashion to continue his and Kenzie’s life in paradise.
“I’m very thankful, being able to get all the bonuses and to be very secure here in Thailand, to do what I love and obviously support my girlfriend as well,” Haggerty said.
“I’m very thankful for ONE and Chatri. I’ll just keep putting on performances and then stacking them bonuses.”
Jonathan ‘The General’ Haggerty looks like he has all the support coming into his fight against Filipe Lobo at ONE Fight Night 19. However, will that be enough to secure the win against Lobo? Let us know how you think the fight will play out in the comments section below.
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Yeswanth Praveen