“This fight is a lot more chill” - Johan Ghazali promises a better version of himself against Diego Paez

Teen phenom Johan Ghazali expects to have a better performance in his return to action next month than the one he had in his last match. He said preparation this time around has been steady which bodes well for fight night.

'Jojo' is featured in a flyweight Muay Thai clash against Colombian-American Diego Paez at ONE Fight Night 32: Nakrob vs. Jaosuayai on Prime Video on June 7 at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post in line with his upcoming match, Johan Ghazali, who now trains at Superbon Training Camp, shared how preparation has been like for him.

The 18-year-old Malaysian-American fighter said:

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"I don’t want to make excuses, but last fight camp, I was going through a lot of change. I switched camps, I switched coaches, I switched a lot of things. So, I was pretty proud of how I did in that fight, honestly, considering all the stuff I was going through. But this fight is a lot more chill, a lot easier. So yes, a better Johan for sure."

Watch the interview below:

Johan Ghazali was last in action back in January at ONE 170 against Colombia's Johan Estupinan in a battle of rising Muay Thai stars. He lost by decision but not after putting up a tough stand throughout the three-rounder.

ONE Fight Night 32 will be available live at U.S. primetime to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Johan Ghazali says loss in previous match was an eye-opener

Johan Ghazali said the loss he absorbed in his previous match at the hands of Johan Estupinan was an eye-opener. He was able to gauge where he is at this stage of his development as a fighter.

He touched on it in the same interview with the South China Morning Post, saying:

"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."

The defeat he was dealt last time around was the second in eight matches to date in ONE Championship.

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Michael Murillo is a journalist who covers basketball and MMA at Sportskeeda with over two decades of experience. Michael has contributed as a proofreader, columnist and journalist for the Philippine broadsheet BusinessWorld.

A graduate of the University of the Philippines with a degree in English Studies, basketball caught Michael's imagination from an early age. Varsity basketball helped Michael to express himself, and later, it opened doors into the world of journalism.

Michael has a particular admiration for the Phoenix Suns, inspired by Kevin Durant. Icons like Magic Johnson and modern legends like Durant have left an indelible mark on Michael for their revolutionary impact on the game.

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Edited by Krishna Venki