'Speed bump' in career, says Jojo after loss to 'Panda Kick'

KUALA LUMPUR: Muay Thai prodigy Johan Ghazali Zulfikar vowed to bounce back after losing to Colombian Johan Estupinan in their flyweight fight at ONE 170 on Friday.

The 18-year-old Malaysian, known as Jojo, put up a brave effort but could not end Estupinan's unbeaten streak as the Colombian secured the win by unanimous decision at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

"Alhamdulillah, just a minor speed bump in my journey... I will be back. Thank you everyone for the support," posted Johan on his Instagram.

The fight saw Johan land a clean punch to Estupinan's face, briefly knocking him down in the first round, but the 22-year-old's experience proved decisive in the final two rounds.

Estupinan, nicknamed "Panda Kick," maintained his composure to extend his winning streak to 5-0 in ONE Championship.

It was Johan's second defeat in eight ONE Championship bouts.

His first setback came against Vietnam's Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat in June last year.

The Sarawak-born fighter made his name at the ONE Friday Fights, claiming four consecutive victories to earn a coveted US$100,000 contract with the world's largest martial arts organisation.

Johan's young career has already seen him secure five knock-out wins, with the fastest achieved in 16 seconds against Padetsuk Fairtex in 2023.

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