Q&A Jonathan Haggerty: Future MMA star talks ONE Wei Rui kickboxing fight

ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan "The General" Haggerty has arrived in Doha, Qatar, to defend his title at ONE 171, a mixed martial arts event held at the Lusail Sports Arena on February 20th. This highly anticipated event has captured the attention of fight fans worldwide.

The British fighter will face his first World Title defense against the #1-ranked contender, Chinese kickboxing superstar Wei Rui, who is currently on an impressive 21-fight win streak. This match is considered a clash of titans, with the showdown between these two top athletes sure to be a thrilling spectacle.

Al Jazeera interviewed the Muay Thai and Kickboxing star ahead of ONE 171. In the interview, Haggerty shared his expectations for the fight and his outlook for the future. Here are the interview highlights:

Al Jazeera: Hello Jonathan, welcome to Doha. You've toured the Middle East before – have you noticed an increase in interest and support from mixed martial arts fans this time?

Jonathan Haggerty: Yeah, it's good to be back in Qatar. This time, I'm here to fight, for the competition, so I've seen a lot of interest on social media for this fight, and a lot of support from the Qataris, which is fantastic. I'm very excited to put on a show.

Al Jazeera: You are a multiple-time ONE Muay Thai World Champion, but recently you switched to kickboxing and are defending your title in that discipline here in Qatar. What made you switch to kickboxing?

Jonathan Haggerty: Yeah, I recently switched to kickboxing. I'm obviously a Muay Thai World Champion. I've had a few Muay Thai fights, and Muay Thai is my first love. But now, I've also switched to kickboxing. I'm very happy to be competing in kickboxing. I got the opportunity, and I grabbed it with both hands. And I'm now the World Champion, and I can't wait to defend my kickboxing gold this Thursday.

Al Jazeera: You're facing a very dangerous opponent in Wei Rui at ONE 171. What are you expecting him to bring to the table when you meet him in the ring on Thursday night?

Jonathan Haggerty: Yeah, 100 percent. My opponent is very dangerous. We can't take him lightly. He's got a record of 70 wins and three losses, which is very good, very impressive, and he's ranked number one for a reason, so it's up to me now to put on the best performance. We've prepared well, and we're ready for anything he brings.

Al Jazeera: You've been competing in mixed martial arts for over a decade. At 28 years old, do you feel like you're reaching your peak as a fighter, as a competitor?

Jonathan Haggerty: 100 percent, I haven't reached my peak. I feel like my peak is yet to come. I'm excited for when it does come. I feel like I'm still testing myself in both Muay Thai and kickboxing, and I'm definitely going to fully mature in the next few years.

Al Jazeera: What goals do you still want to achieve in your fighting career?

Jonathan Haggerty: I definitely want to pursue the mixed martial arts World Title. So, if ONE Championship decides to give me the mixed martial arts World Title shot, I'd definitely be excited for that.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.