KUALA LUMPUR: Johan Ghazali's fight with Vietnamese Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat is not the main event on One 167: Tawanchai v Nattawut II at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, tomorrow, but it can steal the limelight.
Johan, known as Jojo, is hailed as the next Rodtang Jitmuangnon, the ONE flyweight Muay Thai World champion.
With a superb record of five consecutive wins, four of which ended in knockouts, Johan, 17, has the makings of a future MMA star.
While Johan is just a teenager, his opponent is a veteran as Nguyen, 35, boasts almost three decades of MMA experience.
"I feel incredibly motivated and ready to fight. The fans can expect an incredible fight. He should be one of my hardest opponents," said Johan.
"My opponent is a technical fighter who likes to counterattack. I've spent this whole training camp preparing for this guy. The plan is to pressure him and use my youth to my advantage," added Johan who was also a recipient of the Special Awards at the Sportswriter Association of Malaysia awards yesterday.