KUALA LUMPUR: Teen Muay Thai prodigy Johan Ghazali Zulfikar bounced back in spectacular fashion, knocking out Josue Cruz in the first round at One 168: Denver yesterday (Sept 6), reigniting his meteoric rise in the sport.
The 17-year-old, known affectionately as Jojo, left Mexican Cruz crumpled on the canvas at Bali Arena in the United States, with a devastating left hook in the closing seconds of the first round in their Catchweight 64kg contest.
It was a victory Johan, of Malaysian and American descent, had been hunting from the outset, determined to bounce back from his recent defeat to Vietnam's Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat at One 167.
Despite taking some solid hits, Johan was relentless.
"He landed a few good shots, and I ended up with a bloody nose, but I kept coming forward. I didn't give up," Johan said post-fight.
With family cheering from the stands, Johan, who lives in Kuching, cherished the moment.
"Fighting near my mother's hometown, with my American family here supporting me, felt amazing. Alhamdulillah, God has given me everything."
"I've worked so hard — blood, sweat, and tears, day in and day out," Johan added, dedicating his win to his family from Farmington, New Mexico.
His impressive performance earned him a US$50,000 bonus from ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong, improving his professional record to an outstanding 6-1.