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Malaysian-American striking phenom Johan Ghazali chose to focus on the silver lining of his recent setback against Johan Estupinan.
Two of the brightest young stars in the stacked 135-pound Muay Thai division locked horns at ONE 170 last January in an exhilarating three-round slugfest.
'Jojo' gave 'Panda Kick' his stiffest test so far in the home of martial arts, as he went strike-for-strike against the electric Colombian firecracker.
However, Ghazali's defense was tested as he got rocked a couple of times, resulting in a unanimous decision loss.
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That victory extended Estupinan's undefeated record to 27-0 and earned him the No. 5 spot in the flyweight Muay Thai rankings.
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While some fans and pundits alike pointed out a missed opportunity for Johan Ghazali to climb up the ladder, he sees it otherwise.
According to the wise 18-year-old, that match showed he can hang with the best in the world and even opened his eyes to his endless potential.
The Rentap Muaythai Gym and Superbon Training Camp affiliate shared in a recent South China Morning Post interview:
"Honestly, I saw a lot of improvement in myself. Of course, there was a lot that I lacked in that fight, but there was a lot where I saw like, 'oh, I can actually fight like this' or 'I can actually do this kind of style' and whatever."
Johan Ghazali will have a point to prove at ONE Fight Night 32
Johan Ghazali's quest to become the best 135-pound striker on the planet will continue at ONE Fight Night 32: Nakrob vs. Jaosuayai on Prime Video.
'Jojo' will return for duty against heavy-handed American-Colombian star Diego Paez at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 6, live in US Primetime.
It's indeed a must-win for the 18-year-old phenom if he wants to stay afloat in the talent-stacked division and perhaps earn himself a rematch with Estupinan down the line.
ONE Fight Night 32 is free for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada
Watch Johan Ghazali's full interview:
