Teenage phenom Johan “Jojo” Ghazali is confident that he’ll restart his hype train on September 6 at ONE 168: Denver. The fighter is riding a one-fight losing streak, however, he would like to overturn

That night, live in U.S. primetime from Ball Arena, the 17-year-old will square off with Mexican scrapper Josue “Tuzo” Cruz in a can’t-miss flyweight Muay Thai tilt.

Johan Ghazali aims to reassert dominance in his upcoming

“Jojo” burst onto the elite level in 2023, reeling off five consecutive victories – including four highlight-reel stoppages – to secure a spot on ONE’s global roster and announce himself as a legitimate contender in the talent-laden flyweight Muay Thai division.

But in his most recent outing, in June at ONE 167, he suffered a decision loss to Vietnamese veteran Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat. With that upset loss in the rearview mirror, Ghazali is now ready to remind fans of his immense talent and show-stopping power.

He recently spoke about his upcoming showdown with Cruz and was straightforward in his assessment of how he thinks the fight will play out: “Not trying to sound too confident or anything like that, but I believe my striking is way better than what Cruz brings to the table. I don’t think he’ll be able to handle my strikes when we fight. I think it’s going to be me putting the pressure on him, trying to score, trying to find that knockout, to be honest. That’s all I can think about now.”

Top Stories

“Rest in Peace”: Prayers Pour In From Dan Marino as Dolphins Legend Mourns Tragedy in South Florida Football

Florida Police Arrest Millionaire NASCAR Veteran Over Disturbing Public Misbehavior

“NFL Was Crying”: Maxx Crosby Says League Forced Him to Remove Shoes Honoring His Daughter

Denny Hamlin Demands Immediate Apology From FOX Broadcaster After Michael Jordan’s Lawsuit Triumph

Jerry Jones Reaches Breaking Point With Cowboys Coach as Matt Eberflus Receives Clear Order

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Loses Faith in Kansas City With Cowboys Decision as FOX Host Calls Out Clark Hunt’s Ownership

Ghazali predicts a knockout victory over Cruz

As confident as he is, Ghazali promises that he’s not looking past Cruz, who compiled an impressive 17-0 record on Mexico’s regional circuit before signing with ONE. “Jojo” knows that his opponent in Denver is a gamer who certainly won’t go away easily, but that doesn’t change his prediction – a knockout.

The teen says that he plans to force Cruz on the back foot while employing a ruthless boxing attack before ultimately finding the finish: “Ideally, I’d like a quick finish, but I’m not underestimating Cruz. I know he’ll be eager to fight. However, realistically, I think it’ll be hard for him. So, maybe a knockout in the second or third round. A late one would be nice, and it’ll be great to have a bit of drama.”

He further added, “I want to do the work with my hands, pressure him, break his defense, and have fun. But who knows, there could be a head kick or something that fans have never seen before.”