‘This Is A Banger’ – Stephen Loman Breaks Down Jonathan Haggerty Vs. Fabricio Andrade
Stephen Loman will have his eyes glued to the action at ONE Fight Night 15 on Prime Video – with one contest, in particular, piquing his interest.
The #2-ranked bantamweight MMA contender can’t wait to see the battle between Jonathan Haggerty and Fabricio Andrade for the vacant ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title on October 6 in U.S. primetime.
It’s certainly an intriguing matchup, as bantamweight Muay Thai king Haggerty and bantamweight MMA ruler Andrade will both be aiming for World Title gold in a second sport.
And given the thrilling fighting styles of each man, Loman expects an all-out war at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
“The Sniper” told onefc.com:
“Wow, this is a banger. Andrade’s background is really in Muay Thai, so I think he’ll adjust a bit to fight in kickboxing. As for Haggerty, he’s been fighting in Muay Thai, and he’s now fighting under kickboxing rules.
“Both of them are natural strikers, and I expect this fight to be as explosive as possible.”
Haggerty picked up the biggest win of his career last time out when he dethroned longtime ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Hama with a shocking first-round knockout.
Meanwhile, Andrade has expertly utilized his stand-up background in MMA – picking up his last four wins via strikes – but he’s also had to focus on his grappling game to succeed in the all-around sport.
With that in mind, Loman thinks “The General” will have the edge in this clash of divisional kingpins:
“I think the advantage here belongs to Haggerty because he’s been fighting for so long under striking rules.
“Haggerty’s striking game is one of the best in the world, but it’s his push kicks that are his best weapons. He does it so well.
“As for Fabricio, although he can apply his striking in his MMA matches, he still uses his ground game a lot. Of course, he’s still training BJJ and wrestling during his normal fight camps, but now, he won’t be using those in this fight.”
Loman Picks Haggerty To Beat Andrade
Stephen Loman is not going to write off Fabricio Andrade’s chances in his World Title showdown with Jonathan Haggerty. In fact, he acknowledges that the Brazilian has a dangerous skill set for “The General” to contend with.
But when pressed for his opinion, the Filipino picked Haggerty to earn the victory in Bangkok – and he thinks a finish could be in the cards.
“The Sniper” said:
“This is a difficult fight to predict, but I think this goes to Haggerty because striking is his department, and I feel he’ll match up well against Fabricio. Fabricio isn’t an ordinary striker, though, and that’s why this fight will be an exciting one.
“I think these two will trade throughout, and Haggerty, if he gets the chance, will get the KO win.”
As the #2-ranked bantamweight MMA contender, Loman also has a vested interest in Andrade’s performance. He is aiming for a shot at “Wonder Boy’s” divisional crown, and he hopes to get the first chance when the Brazilian is finished with his quest for kickboxing gold.
In the meantime, “The Sniper” will face #1-ranked John Lineker at ONE Fight Night 14 on Prime Video on September 29, and with a 12th straight victory, he would likely cement an opportunity.
If he does get his hand raised that evening, “The Sniper” will be watching extra closely on October 6 as he prepares for a future clash with Andrade.
Loman added:
“I know I can study Fabricio better when his fight [with Haggerty] happens and pick up his tendencies and technique. He’ll show his combinations, and that will give me material to study so I can adjust my game plan when we finally fight each other.”
