ONE Championship, one of the largest martial arts organizations in the world, has confirmed a long-awaited clash for the bantamweight kickboxing world title. Former champion Akimoto Koki, 33, will challenge the current belt holder, Jonathan Haggerty, 29, in a fight that promises great excitement at the Ariake Arena, in Tokyo.

The dispute, which will be part of the ONE SAMURAI 4 event on October 17, marks Akimoto’s return to the title fight. In a video released on the official ONE X channel, Akimoto expressed great excitement about the opportunity. “It was a long and challenging period, but I overcame it and finally achieved this chance. I will definitely win and regain the championship. Please support me”, declared the Japanese fighter.

Akimoto has recently demonstrated his excellent physical and technical form. In April of this year, he achieved a unanimous decision victory against Hiromu Kui, one of the highlights of “KNOCK OUT”, during ONE SAMURAI 1. His goal now is to regain the belt he had lost to Pettanon in November 2022.

On the other hand, champion Jonathan Haggerty, from the United Kingdom, is also coming off a significant victory in April, when he successfully defended his title against Yuki Yoza by unanimous decision. Despite having received an offer from ONE for a Muay Thai fight in his next fight, Haggerty opted to request a kickboxing title defense.

According to CEO Chatri, this is the first time Haggerty has expressed a desire to prioritize a kickboxing fight over a Muay Thai offering. This choice underlines the champion’s intense determination to keep his belt and accept Akimoto’s challenge.