Haggerty vs Akimoto at ONE SAMURAI 4: Bantamweight Kickboxing Clash

A blockbuster clash between past and present is set to take place on Tokyo’s biggest stage. Reigning ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty will defend his throne against former titleholder Hiroki Akimoto at ONE SAMURAI 4.

The two world-class strikers will collide on Saturday, October 17, live from the iconic Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. It promises to be a defining night for the bantamweight kickboxing division.

Haggerty, the 29-year-old Englishman known as “The General,” has cemented his status as one of the greatest pound-for-pound strikers. Representing Team Underground and Knowlesy Academy, he carries a career record of 24-5, with a 10-3 mark inside ONE Championship.

Remarkably, Haggerty remains undefeated in the promotion’s kickboxing ring. The former ONE Flyweight and Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion added kickboxing gold to his collection in stunning fashion at ONE Fight Night 16 in November 2023.

That night, Haggerty challenged Fabricio Andrade, the ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion, for the vacant kickboxing strap. He demolished the Brazilian in round two, becoming a two-sport king. In 2025, he defended the belt against Wei Rui and Yuki Yoza.

Standing across the ring will be Akimoto, a 33-year-old with a striking record of 29-4 and nine wins inside ONE Championship. The former Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion knows exactly what is at stake in front of his home crowd.

Akimoto won five of his first six bouts under the ONE banner before earning a title shot at ONE X in 2022. There, his precision striking overwhelmed Capitan Petchyindee to claim the bantamweight kickboxing crown. He later dropped the title and endured a difficult stretch.

But 2025 has been a year of redemption for the Japanese striker. Akimoto defeated former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion John Lineker, followed by a win over Wei Rui, before edging countryman Taimu Hisai via split decision.

Now, Akimoto gets a shot at reclaiming the gold he once held, this time against the man widely regarded as one of the sport’s finest strikers. Haggerty, meanwhile, will look to extend his unbeaten kickboxing streak and prove once again why he sits among the pound-for-pound elite.