Hiroki Akimoto challenges Haggerty for the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title later this month, and the former champion believes discipline and patience will be the keys to reclaiming the belt.
Hiroki Akimoto will face reigning champion Jonathan Haggerty in the main event of ONE SAMURAI 4 on October 17 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. The Japanese star enters the bout riding a three-fight winning streak and believes he presents a unique challenge for the British titleholder.
Akimoto has rebuilt his momentum with victories over John Lineker, Wei Rui, and Taimu Hisai. Now, he has his sights set on regaining the championship he once held.
While many challengers have struggled to deal with Haggerty’s movement and stance-switching, Akimoto believes he has identified the areas that must be neutralized.
“He’s a switch-hitter, someone who switches stances a lot. I think a lot of the fighters he’s faced before have been a bit sloppy in how they approached him,” Akimoto said. “I want to handle that carefully. And on the flip side, I’ve also got plenty of surprises prepared, so I hope everyone looks forward to seeing them.”
The Japanese veteran praised Haggerty’s development as a kickboxer, noting that the champion has evolved from a dangerous Muay Thai striker into a complete fighter capable of winning in multiple ways.
“The fight where he won the title, he won by KO. And in his fights against Wei Rui and against Yoza, he showed he can control a fight well either way,” Akimoto said. “Originally from Muay Thai, he can finish opponents, but he can also score points properly. I really think he’s an excellent fighter.”
Akimoto also credited Haggerty’s coaching team for helping him reach the top of the division.
“His team, his coaches and trainers, seem really excellent too from what I’ve seen. So I imagine they’ll come up with all kinds of strategies for this fight against me, but I’m also completely prepared in every way. I’m looking forward to showing that.”
As Hakimoto challenges Haggerty, the former champion remains motivated by the respect the titleholder has shown him throughout his career. Despite going through a difficult stretch that included three consecutive defeats, Akimoto said Haggerty never overlooked him as a future contender.
“Given that I went through three losses in a row, the fact that he still felt that way about me might mean he expected me to climb back up,” Akimoto said. “I think I’ll be a tougher opponent for him than anyone he’s faced before. It’s nice that he felt that way, but I want to prove it properly in the fight.”
Akimoto watched Haggerty successfully defend his title against Yuki Yoza in Japan and came away impressed. However, he is confident their meeting will produce a different outcome.
“Coming to Japan and defending the title on enemy turf with such a dominant performance really is impressive,” Akimoto said. “But I promise the fight with me won’t go that way.”
Despite Haggerty’s reputation for explosive finishes, Akimoto believes he can match the champion physically and technically.
“Haggerty does have power, but I don’t think I’ll lose out on power. I’m confident in my power, stamina, and speed,” Akimoto said. “I think the thing I really need to watch out for with Haggerty is his range, distance management, and his movement to take angles. If I can shut those down well, I don’t think I’ll have any trouble winning.”
With both fighters brimming with confidence, Hakimoto challenges Haggerty in one of the most anticipated kickboxing title fights of the year, as the former champion looks to bring the bantamweight crown back home in front of his Japanese fans.
