British bantamweight celebrity, Jonathan Haggerty (21-4-0) is the present ONE Muay Thai World Champion, and is trying so as to add the vacant ONE Kickboxing World title to his assortment when he faces Fabricio Andrade (20-3-0) at ONE Battle Evening 16 on Prime Video, Nov. 3 (EDT).
Now residing in Thailand, M&F caught up with the superfast striker to learn how he circumstances himself mentally and bodily to be the perfect, and why he jokes that he eats coaching for breakfast.
A two-sport kingpin is about to be topped when the Muay Thai World Champion squares off in opposition to the MMA World Champion in a battle for the division’s vacant kickboxing belt. Haggerty tells M&F that he “leaves no stone unturned” with regards to his preparation, even shifting from London to Thailand so as keep near the motion always. “I’ve moved out right here completely now,” says Haggerty. “I’m loving it. I’m residing the dream.” Little doubt, such travels would have appeared virtually unimaginable to his youthful self, rising up across the bustling Walworth Highway. “I knew I had the expertise that it takes to get to the highest, however the place I’m now’s unbelievable and I’m very grateful.”
Attaining the unbelievable has been a staple of this athlete’s profession up to now. Having been launched to Muay Thai by his father; John (who was an MMA competitor), a 7-year-old Haggerty nervously attended his first group session and swiftly drove his sparring companion to tears after kicking him within the head. “From then onwards, I assumed; I really like this sport,” he laughs. Haggerty started competing from the age of 12 and now at 26, he’s has been a professional for practically a decade.
As an up-and-comer, Haggerty received off to an unimaginable begin, successful his first 8 skilled fights and attaining the ISKA World-Tremendous-Featherweight Muay Thai belt alongside the way in which. Whereas Haggerty suffered his first loss to Ja Kiatphontip, he rebounded with a powerful assertion and knocked out Keith McLachlan within the second spherical throughout their bout at Yokkao 29, cementing him as a drive to be reckoned with.
To Be the Greatest, You Should Beat the Greatest
“I imply, the onerous work by no means stops, you already know?” says Haggerty, who explains that he’s typically accepted fights with opponents that have been extra skilled than him. “I took the dangers generally, and it prospered.” When these fights didn’t go his means, he used these losses as a studying expertise, and got here again higher. “I wish to problem myself,” he explains. “I by no means like a simple battle. Lots of people say to me ‘ah, why are you taking this battle? Why are you taking that battle? I say I need to problem the very best, even when it means I’ve to step up a weight and battle somebody loads heavier than me, I’m at all times up for the problem and it makes me higher in myself.’
Now residing in Thailand, Haggerty trains on the Lamai Muay Thai Camp (often known as WMC) on Lamai seaside. “I’ve received all the pieces I want,” explains the champ. “I’m simply principally round conventional Muay Thai … loads much less distractions,”
Jonathan Haggerty Eats Coaching for Breakfast
Haggerty’s day begins at round 8 a.m. He drinks a espresso and makes his option to coaching by 10am. That first coaching session of the day is finished on a quick. “I can’t actually eat within the morning,” says the fighter. “I really feel like coaching within the morning on an empty abdomen is loads higher for me. I imply; coaching is my breakfast,” laughs Haggerty. The champs’ closing coaching session of the day is a fitness center exercise and begins at 5pm, lasting for round 2 hours. Lastly prepared to sit back, the Englishman says that he settles down with some YouTube earlier than heading to mattress by 11pm. Whereas his macros are labored out for him by a nutritionist, this elite athlete should keep on high of his hydration by ingesting ceaselessly and refuelling with protein shakes between meals. Haggerty additionally dietary supplements with zinc and magnesium to assist with metabolism, bolster restoration, and scale back ranges of fatigue.
To Keep away from Failure in Fight, Jonathan Haggerty Seeks Failure in Coaching
With gold round his waist and an enviable 21-4-0 file, this martial artist has discovered what works greatest for his physique, and can also be appreciating the calm of his new surroundings when in comparison with the busy, noisy, streets of London. However, with regards to coaching, Haggerty goes flat out, in an effort to determine his limits and attempt to push past them. With conditioning being a key side of any fighters arsenal, ‘The Basic’ goes all out on the mat and within the fitness center. “I’m the primary one in and the final one out,” he explains. Health club classes embody an hour on the pads, operating, average weight lifting, and plyometric workouts to work on his explosive energy. It’s all designed to push him in direction of exhaustion.
Haggerty begins every fitness center session with 100 kicks, that’s 50 with every leg, in opposition to pads being held by Muay-Tahi-champ-turned-trainer, Christian Knowles however for added measure, Haggerty receives some digs in return whereas making an attempt to finish these kicks. Then it’s on to the plyo. “I really feel like loads of field jumps do come in useful,” shares Haggerty, explaining that when he’s between rounds in an precise battle, and heads again to his nook, that is the time when fighters will notice how fatigued their legs are. “Like jelly,” he says, explaining that coaching with a excessive frequency of field jumps is a good way to organize his legs for the physicality of competitors.
As a result of his upcoming title conflict was initially delayed, Haggerty has now been in camp for round 12 weeks. “So, if I’m not prepared now, I’ll by no means be prepared,” he says with a smile. “It’s gonna be an excellent battle, you already know? Fabricio Andrade is a superb striker, like everybody within the ONE Championship roster. All people’s nice. High strikers, high athletes .. He’s gonna include the fireplace, I’m gonna include my hearth, and we’re simply gonna need to see who goes out first.”
Jonathan Haggerty takes on Fabricio Andrade at ONE Battle Evening 16 on Prime Video, November 3. For extra data go to: Onefc.com