One query between rounds modified the form of a world title struggle in Tokyo. The reply arrived within the type of a knee up the center.
Jonathan Haggerty retained his ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title with a third-round stoppage of Hiroki Akimoto in the principle occasion of ONE SAMURAI 4 on Saturday, October 17. The end got here 42 seconds into the spherical at Ariake Area in Tokyo, Japan.
Furthermore, the 29-year-old’s third profitable protection lifted his total putting report to 25-5 and earned him a US$100,000 efficiency bonus. Nevertheless, it didn’t come simply, as Akimoto landed a clear hook within the opening spherical that briefly rattled the defending king.
He admitted the challenger caught him off guard early.
“I’m feeling nice. It was an important struggle. I really feel like I needed to wake myself up a bit bit within the first spherical. The sport plan was to select and poke. However Akimoto shocked me a bit bit,” Haggerty stated.
“However, clearly, I’ve achieved what I do greatest, and that’s come out sturdy. I’m grateful for the stoppage and the efficiency.”
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Jonathan Haggerty turns to the knee
The Englishman’s authentic plan relied on his arms and teeps, however between rounds he turned to his coach with an concept drawn from his final protection in opposition to Yuki Yoza. An airborne knee drove Akimoto towards the Circle Wall within the second, and early within the third, a proper hand and a knee up the center put him down earlier than the towel got here in.
Haggerty has discovered a brand new favourite weapon beneath kickboxing guidelines.
“I went to the touch him up with the arms first, and see what occurs. [I] used the teeps lots. I used the knees in opposition to Yoza lots, and I went again to my nook within the second spherical, and I went, ‘Chris [Knowles], lets begin utilizing the knees?’ And that’s when the warmth turned on,” Haggerty stated.
“The plan was to get the knees going within the second spherical, and it was the proper sport plan. My knees are my new elbows. I’ve needed to change it. Till we get in a Muay Thai struggle, the knees are the elbows for now.”
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