KUALA LUMPUR: After a long break, national Muay Thai champion, Johan Ghazali Zulfikar, is set to return to the ONE Championship ring.
Johan, 18, also known as Jojo, will square off against five-time WMF Muay Thai champion from Vietnam, Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat, in ONE 167: Stamp vs. Zamboanga on June 7 at Impact Arena, Bangkok.
Johan's last fight was on Dec 8 last year, where he defeated the WBC champion Edgar Tabares of Mexico with a knockout (KO) victory in just 36 seconds in Bangkok.
Following the fight, Johan set aside his commitments to ONE Championship to focus on his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations, which concluded earlier this month.
The young star, representing Rentap Muay Thai Gym, is eager to return to the ring and confident in maintaining his unbeaten record in ONE Championship.
However, he stressed that the upcoming fight will be his toughest yet in ONE Championship, considering his opponent's experience and reputation.
"This will be the most challenging fight since entering ONE Championship. Nguyen has significant experience in ONE Championship with a good record.
"His agility and technique are impressive. However, with proper training and preparation, I believe I can win this fight," said Johan during an exclusive interview with Berita Harian today.
Similarly, this fight marks the return to competitive action for 35-year-old Duy Nhat. He lost to Denis Puric from Bosnia and Herzegovina in his last bout on Dec 8.
Despite taking a break from competition, Johan maintained his training regimen under the guidance of his Thai trainer, Addy Sipangyak.
"After my last fight, training resumed as usual. I only took a week off before getting back into the routine. Therefore, I'm confident in my preparation for the upcoming fight in June.
"However, training schedules have been adjusted to accommodate late-night sessions after Tarawih prayers during Ramadan. Nevertheless, once Ramadan concludes, training intensity will be ramped up in preparation for the fight," he explained.
Johan made history in October last year by becoming the youngest fighter to secure a US$100,000 (RM463,300) contract with ONE Championship.
With a flawless record of 5-0, including four KOs, Johan was also honoured as the Most Outstanding Young Star of 2023 by ONE Championship.
