Johan Ghazali To Battle Josue Cruz In Muay Thai Clash At ONE 168: Denver On September 6
Johan “Jojo” Ghazali will get his chance to bounce back when he faces Josue “Tuzo” Cruz at ONE 168: Denver.
The 17-year-old sensation, who saw his perfect 5-0 ONE Championship record get shattered by “No.1” Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat earlier this year, will return to action in U.S. primetime on Friday, September 6.
The flyweight Muay Thai matchup will take place at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, which is another big motivator for the young American-Malaysian striker.
Ghazali burst onto the scene in 2023, winning his first four bouts in ONE Friday Fights to earn a six-figure contract with the world’s largest martial arts organization.
In his U.S. primetime debut at ONE Fight Night 17 last December, “Jojo” obliterated Edgar Tabares in just 36 seconds – adding the fourth knockout to his five-win tally.
But when he met Duy Nhat at ONE 167 this past June, Ghazali came up short on the judges’ scorecards, with his intent and aggression not enough to defeat the experienced Vietnamese star.
The teenager says he learned lessons from that setback and is now hungrier than ever to resume his charge toward the top.
However, Cruz does not intend to be a stepping stone for Ghazali as he seeks the biggest victory of his career in Denver.
“Tuzo” entered the world’s largest martial arts organization with a perfect 17-0 professional slate, but it was a big step up from the regional circuit, and he felt the change during his first two outings.
Yet to pick up his first promotional victory, the 28-year-old has been working hard to turn his fortunes around. Cruz recently traveled to France to train alongside ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Champion Alexis “Barboza” Nicolas and Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi at Mahmoudi Gym.
There’s a lot at stake for both men. Ghazali is eager to prove he belongs among the flyweight Muay Thai elite, while Cruz aims to show he can compete among the top tier.
It should make for an explosive clash when they go toe-to-toe in front of the American audience at ONE’s highly anticipated return to the country.
Stay tuned to onefc.com for more news about ONE 168: Denver.
