Haggerty On Akimoto Defense And Muay Thai Return

Jonathan Haggerty defends his ONE bantamweight kickboxing title against Hiroki Akimoto at ONE SAMURAI 4 in Tokyo on October 17, and the champion has already mapped out what comes next.

Akimoto earned this shot after rebounding from a three-fight skid with three straight decision wins, most recently stopping Taimu Hisai at ONE SAMURAI 1. The Japanese fighter opened his promotional run at 6-1 before that rough stretch, and Haggerty told BJPenn.com that the challenger has proven himself against top competition. "He's beaten whoever they've put in front of him," Haggerty said. "Meanwhile, I've basically beaten the top opponents in the division now, so it was only right for him to get his opportunity."

Haggerty Eyes Path Back To Muay Thai Title

Should the Englishman retain his kickboxing strap at Ariake Arena, he plans to chase the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai title he lost to Superlek last September at ONE 168 in Denver. Haggerty named two fighters standing in his path to reclaiming that second belt. "I believe after I defend this belt, Yod-IQ or Rambolek will be next for me," he said, per BJPenn.com.

Haggerty chases his 25th career win on October 17. Akimoto has logged over six years inside ONE Championship and holds wins over multiple ranked opponents in the division. The card streams live from Tokyo starting at 8 p.m. local time.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Jonathan Haggerty dishes on Hiroki Akimoto ONE World Title defense at ONE SAMURAI 4