ONE flyweight Muay Thai standout Shimon Yoshinari of Japan left Ariake Arena in Tokyo with newfound respect for his adversary Johan Ghazali.
The 21-year-old striking sensation defeated ‘Jojo’ via unanimous decision at ONE SAMURAI 1 on April 29.
After the grueling three-round battle, Shimon was quick to acknowledge that the Malaysian-American teenager made every minute of it difficult.
“He was strong and he was very tough in the ring,” he told The Bangkok Post’s Nick Atkin after the fight.
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The cousin of ONE atomweight Muay Thai world champion Nadaka, Shimon remains one of the most exciting young strikers on the ONE Championship roster.
He drew a fellow phenom in Ghazali, and the pair came forward throughout, threw with bad intentions, and traded knockdowns.
In the end, the Eiwa Sports Gym product shrugged off a direct hit from Ghazali and outclassed him on the scorecards.
Shimon’s technical precision and composure ultimately carried the day, but the knockdown was a reminder that Ghazali’s raw danger is very real. Even against a fighter of Shimon’s calibre, the young Malaysian absorbed punishment and kept pressing forward without hesitation.
His valiant effort earned Shimon’s respect once the final bell rang. Both young strikers have bright futures ahead and their path could cross once more somewhere down the line.
Watch the full interview:
Shimon laments on knockdown scare against Johan Ghazali
Shimon Yoshinari has pretty much dominated every fighter he’s faced in ONE Championship so far.
However, Johan Ghazali challenged him like never before. It was the first time he fought through adversity on the global stage.
The Japanese star acknowledged it and admitted it was exhilarating to face a game opponent like ‘Jojo’.
“Of course, I’m very happy for the win, but I also got knocked down, so it’s kind of frustrating, yeah,” he admitted to Nick Atkin in the same interview.
Edited by Aziel Karthak