ONE Championship boss Chatri Sityodtong revealed Jonathan Haggerty is “next” for Rodtang Jitmuangnon, with the Bangkok Post understanding the fight is being targeted for Denver.
Rodtang made a statement with an 80-second KO of Takeru Segawa in the ONE 172 main event on Sunday night at Saitama Super Arena.
“The Iron Man” looked more dialled in and on point with his nutrition than ever in the flyweight kickboxing super fight – but it seems he may now be heading up to bantamweight.
“The next fight for Rodtang is going to be Haggerty,” Chatri said at the post-event press conference backstage.
“We’re doing Haggerty versus Rodtang, but of course there are many fights for Rodtang now. He can call his shot. Rodtang will fight anybody.”
Rodtang has defeated Haggerty twice in flyweight Muay Thai title fights – in August 2019 and January 2020, when he won the belt and defended it respectively – but “The General” has grown into his new frame at 145lbs.
The pair have both already needled each other on social media since the apparent announcement of their trilogy, with Rodtang even hinting it may be for Haggerty’s ONE bantamweight kickboxing title.
“You wanna face me? Then put your championship belt on the line,” he wrote in an Instagram post.
But Haggerty appeared to shut the idea down, suggesting it will be a Muay Thai fight – “not this time,” he replied.
Such a huge fight is likely to require a big stage – quite literally – and ONE Championship’s next scheduled arena show appears to be the targeted date.
The Asia-based martial arts promotion will return to Denver’s Ball Arena – the home of the NBA’s Denver Nuggets – on August 1 for ONE 173, a venue where Haggerty would be eyeing redemption after a 49-round KO loss to Superlek last year.
“Six years later we meet again! See you soon,” Haggerty added in his own social media post.
The Bangkok Post understands, however, no contracts have yet been signed for the bout; both men certainly have plenty of other options.
The 28-year-old Englishman Haggerty is coming off an impressive title defence against China’s Wei Rui at ONE 171 in Qatar in February, while his old bantamweight Muay Thai belt has been vacated after Superlek missed weight in Japan last weekend.
Rodtang is also back on track at flyweight, having surrendered his own Muay Thai title on the scale in November.
“This felt like I just woke up from a bad dream,” Rodtang said at the post event press conference after beating Takery. “I missed weight for the last two fights and I lost something I cherished, that I love the most – my Muay Thai belt.
“I had to fight the criticism, and I went to sleep crying, because I felt I lost that belt not because I lost to my opponent, but because of myself, that I couldn’t make weight.
“And that woke me up. It told me I have to work harder. I have to wake up in the morning and train hard, and do anything I can to get that belt back.
“I reminded myself every day during training how successful I was, and why I became famous in the first place. Now I’m really dedicated. I have no break, and I train every day.
“I want to thank Chatri for recommending Peter, my nutritionist, who’s been helping me very much with my conditioning. This feels like a new world for me right now.”
