Jonathan Haggerty has done it again! Three successful defences of his ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship, and another performance that reminds us why he is one of the most exciting fighters England has ever produced.
What impressed me most about his fight against Hiroki Akimoto wasn’t simply the victory. It was the way Haggerty handled the pressure, controlled the exchanges and demonstrated a level of technical intelligence that, in certain moments, reminded me of the legendary Ukrainian boxer Vasyl Lomachenko.
Akimoto came out aggressively. Very aggressively, in fact. He was pushing forward, throwing combinations and trying to impose his own rhythm on the fight.
But Haggerty didn’t seem particularly bothered.
He remained composed, confident and completely comfortable under pressure. There was no panic, no unnecessary movement and certainly no indication that Akimoto’s aggression was causing him serious problems.
And then Haggerty started taking control.
Once Jonathan began putting his combinations together, the entire dynamic of the fight changed. Akimoto, who had started so aggressively, suddenly found himself dealing with a completely different level of offensive pressure.
By the third round, the punishment had become too much, and Akimoto’s corner made the decision to stop the contest.
And quite frankly, I think they made the right decision. Had the fight continued, things could have ended much worse for the Japanese fighter.
A Touch of Vasyl Lomachenko
There was something particularly interesting about Haggerty’s technique during this fight.
I’ve watched Vasyl Lomachenko for years, and one of the things that always fascinated me about his boxing was his ability to manipulate an opponent’s guard.
Lomachenko would touch, tap or move his opponent’s gloves, creating openings that weren’t there a fraction of a second earlier. He would draw attention to one side before attacking from a completely different angle.
Watching Haggerty against Akimoto, I noticed something remarkably similar.
Jonathan was using his gloves almost as a distraction. A little touch here, a small movement there, just enough to make Akimoto react or anticipate an attack from one direction.
And then the real punch would come from somewhere else.
It wasn’t simply about speed or power. It was about making his opponent think one thing was happening while preparing something entirely different.
That’s intelligent fighting.
And that’s precisely the kind of technical detail that separates outstanding fighters from good ones.
Those Punches That Didn’t Land
Another fascinating aspect of Haggerty’s performance was something that might easily have gone unnoticed.
Some of his most dangerous punches were actually the ones that missed.
There were moments when Jonathan wasn’t punching directly at where Akimoto’s head was. He was throwing towards where he expected it to be.
He was anticipating movement, reading reactions and trying to intercept his opponent.
A few of those punches missed their target by relatively small margins.
But looking at the power and commitment behind them, I genuinely believe that if even one or two had landed cleanly, we wouldn’t be discussing a technical knockout.
We would be talking about a spectacular, devastating knockout.
That willingness to anticipate rather than simply react is another reason I enjoyed this performance so much.
Three Defences and Counting
With his third successful defence of the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship, Haggerty continues to strengthen his position among the very best fighters in the division.
And personally, looking at the current landscape, I struggle to see anyone in the bantamweight kickboxing division who could seriously threaten him right now.
Of course, combat sports have a wonderful habit of proving people wrong. Nobody is unbeatable, and one perfectly timed punch or kick can change everything.
But based on what we’re seeing from Jonathan at the moment, I believe he’s operating at a different level.
His timing, confidence, technical development and ability to remain calm under pressure make him an incredibly difficult opponent.
One of England’s Finest
Jonathan Haggerty has already given British combat sports fans countless memorable moments.
His career hasn’t been without setbacks. Losing his Muay Thai world title to Rodtang was certainly one of them, although I have always believed that defeat doesn’t tell the full story of Haggerty’s abilities.
What matters is how a fighter develops, adapts and comes back.
And Haggerty has demonstrated exactly that.
Today, he looks more mature, more calculated and, perhaps most importantly, more dangerous than ever.
For me, Jonathan Haggerty is already a legend of English combat sports.
And the best part?
I don’t think we’ve seen everything he has to offer yet.
Congratulations, Jonathan, on your third successful world title defence.
Another outstanding performance and another reminder of why you’re always worth watching.
Mirek Marcinski
MMFN – Mirek Marcinski Fight Night
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