British striker Freddie Haggerty is locked, loaded, and ready to make a statement when he returns to the global stage at The Inner Circle on Friday, May 22. He takes on Yonis Anane in a strawweight battle between two of the sport’s best fighting families.
The 21-year-old faces the WBC Muay Thai World Champion and younger brother of Nabil Anane live in Asia primetime at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, available exclusively to monthly subscribers at live.onefc.com.
Haggerty walks into the assignment carrying a 23-5 professional record, including three sublime knockouts in ONE Championship.
He is ready to add another statement win against the 18-year-old in the Thai capital, but the Team Underground and Knowlesy Academy athlete knows the man across from him is no pushover.
The Londoner shared:
“He’s a great opponent. I can’t put him down. He’s the youngest WBC World Champion.
“So, obviously, he’s got to be special and good. I’ve seen his fights, and he’s done pretty okay in all of them.”
Respect, however, is where Haggerty’s generosity ends. The young striker has spent every spare moment after training at Lamai Muay Thai Camp in Koh Samui, analyzing and breaking down Anane’s craft.
He has studied his patterns and pressure points, and the verdict is that there are exploitable cracks beneath the French-Thai fighter’s pedigree.
Haggerty told onefc.com:
“I feel like Yonis has only one game plan. Once his game plan gets messed up, he sort of panics and doesn’t know what to do, so he just goes swinging. But I’m always ready for him to go swinging.
“I’m ready to be smart, I’m ready to pick him apart. I’m just ready for anything. Also, I don’t think he’s got the grit and heart to go into deep waters with me. I think he’s scared to get hit, if I’m being completely honest.”
The confidence is not coming from nowhere. The Englishman has spent every session on the mats sharpening the exact tools this assignment needs, including the destructive fists that have helped him to a 100 percent finish rate in the promotion.
Even his lone setback against Jordan “Panda Kick” Estupinan has only added fuel to the fire heading into this clash at The Inner Circle on May 22.
Haggerty has already mapped out exactly how he plans to close the show:
“The first round will be a feeling-out process. I’m going to get my range and get his timing down. Then, in the second round, I will push the pace, and that is where I will knock him out.
“I have a lot of trust and power in my hands, so I believe I will knock him out with my hands. Whether it be a right or a left, we’ll have to see. I’m fired up to return in style.”
The Big Brother In The Corner
There is always a steadying voice in the corner of every confident young fighter. For Freddie Haggerty, that guidance comes from one of the most decorated fighters in ONE Championship.
Jonathan “The General” Haggerty – the reigning ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion and a multi-time divisional king across two disciplines – will be in his younger brother’s corner once again.
The 21-year-old is still building his resume, and having that kind of experience guiding him is the kind of edge most young fighters can only dream of:
“Jon will be there come fight night. Whether I’m losing the round, whether I’m winning the round. He’s been there, and he knows how to handle things, so it’s great to have his experience.
“Having him there is also an inspiration. It helps me push harder because I know what he’s achieved, and I know it’s a big, big shadow, but the bigger the shadow, the bigger the star to shine.”
Should Haggerty deliver on his promise to shut down Yonis Anane in round two, the path forward opens up considerably.
He is not chasing any specific name in particular, though the young gun has one card that has caught his attention: ONE SAMURAI 2.
Haggerty concluded:
“I’m ready for anyone. Maybe even a rematch against Jordan, so I can have a chance to redeem myself. But Japan will be nice.
“Being there for my brother at ONE SAMURAI 1 was just amazing. Everything was special. We fighters live for these sorts of moments, so I’m looking to get myself on one of those shows cause it’ll be massive.”