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TRIPLE CHAMP
I’m a two-sport world champ and I want to be the greatest ever UK fighter by winning an MMA belt, says Jonathan Haggerty
'The General' has lofty ambitions for the rest of his already glittering career
JONATHAN HAGGERTY wrote his name into the history books last year by becoming a two-sport world champion - but 'The General' isn't done making history just yet.
The face of UK Muay Thai became a two-sport world champion in emphatic fashion last November when he claimed ONE Championship's vacant bantamweight kickboxing title.
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A stunning first-round finish of the dangerous and deadly Fabricio Andrade saw Haggerty join an elite group of fighters to conquer two combat sports.
One could forgive the 26-year-old for resting on his laurels and basking in the glow of the legacy-defining victory.
Haggerty, however, has set his sights on further cementing his status as one of the UK's greatest-ever combat sports athletes.
And he plans to make the title his own by conquering a third sport - mixed martial arts.
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He told SunSport: "I'm so keen on getting that MMA belt.
"I'm on at Fabricio with direct messages, I'm DMing him and telling him, 'Let's go, let's go!"
"I need to fulfil my dreams," he added. "And my dream is to become the three-sport world champion.
"Until I get the third belt around my waist, I won't be happy."
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Lofty ambitions of becoming a three-sport champ aside, Haggerty knows he has plenty of work to do to stay atop of the two sports he presides over.
And that work starts early on Saturday morning at ONE Fight Night 19 in Bangkok, where he'll finally get his hands on Felipe Lobo.
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He said: "Lobo is the target for now, so we're focusing on that. And after that, we'll see what happens.
"But I'm definitely up for the MMA fight, send me the contract.
"I'll have a good training camp for it and we'll see what happens. But we're focused on Felipe Lobo on February 17."
For the first time in a while, Haggerty will enter his maiden defence of the bantamweight throne as a favourite.
And he's still getting to grips with that fact, admitting: "I've been the underdog for a while.
"And to not be an underdog for this fight is good."
Brazilian bruiser Lobo has had his sights set on Haggerty - who he called out after beating Saemapetch Fairtex - for the best part of a year.
And to say the Knowlesy Academy standout can't wait to get his hands on the Sao Paulo slugger would be an understatement.
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He said: "I'm gonna go in there, and I've told him this already, that I'm gonna do a demolition job on him.
"He's got a great style, he's a great athlete, he's a great fighter. He is where he is for a reason.
"But I just feel like there are levels to this game and we're going to show him. His style matches my style perfectly.
"We're excited and I'm excited to meet him in the middle of the ring."
Haggerty has, arguably, the biggest target on his back in ONE Championship - a fact he knows all too well.
And he plans to have a busy 2024 by taking out all challengers to his Kickboxing and Muay Thai thrones.
"I want to defend my belts as much as possible this year and keep hold of them and stay active," he said.
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"And continue to become a better version of myself each time.
"Stay on top, that's the main thing. That's the goal, staying on top."
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