Not everyone is suited for combat sports, and Jonathan Haggerty perfectly summed up the unforgiving nature of the profession as to why it isn’t for the fainthearted.
In an interview on the Sky Sports MMA Club Podcast, the former double champion said the mental and emotional fortitude someone needs to succeed in such a career is tremendously high.
Haggerty said it only takes a few moments to strip away the positive affirmations in a fighter’s psyche and replace them with dread following a disappointing loss.
Such was the case when the British superstar relinquished the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title to Superlek Kiatmoo9, the ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion, in the main event of ONE 168: Denver in September.
Nevertheless, Haggerty added that bouncing back from such losses pushes fighters to previously unimaginable heights.
Jonathan Haggerty said:
“The feeling of one minute you’re bouncing with confidence next minute you’re out… I’ve said it before, I’ve said it a few times now since I’ve been back.”
Haggerty was riding a huge wave of momentum heading into his world title defense against Superlek at Ball Arena in Denver.
The reigning ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion was on a six-fight winning streak, the last three coming via knockout, when he faced off against the Thai megastar.
Superlek, though, ended that momentum in 49 seconds when he floored Haggerty with a counter elbow strike for the first-round knockout win.
Haggerty has since emotionally recovered from the loss and plans to defend his kickboxing throne the next time he steps between the ropes.
Jonathan Haggerty turns his focus to defending the kickboxing world title
Jonathan Haggerty is no stranger to holding gold in ONE Championship, and his next order of business is to defend his ONE bantamweight kickboxing world title.
In the same interview with Sky Sports, Haggerty said he’s determined to keep his kickboxing throne while working his way back up to reclaim the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title.
Haggerty, a former ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion, said:
“I think we can still definitely get it. I’m still a champ. I’m still the kickboxing world champion. So I still got one belt, I know I had two, but now I have one.”
