Liam Harrison eyeing historic and ‘massive’ Battle of Britain with Jonathan Haggerty for ONE Championship’s UK debut
LIAM HARRISON is still very much on the road to recovery – but his sights are firmly fixed on a historic Battle of Britain with Jonathan Haggerty.
Muay Thai enthusiasts around the world are licking their lips at the prospect of the biggest British fight in the history of the sport following Haggerty’s recent and emphatic dethroning of Nong-O Gaiyanghadao.
And although he’s still recovering from a crippling knee injury, Harrison can’t help but look forward to a domestic dust-up with the new king of ONE Championship’s bantamweight division
‘The Hitman’ told SunSport: “I spoke to Chatri [Sityodtong] – the boss – about it and he says he can make that fight happen in England within the next six to nine months – which is perfect for me.
“In the next five months, I should be in a position where I can go back into fight camp.
“And after that, hopefully, I can get myself back in contention and we can make it happen in England because it would be absolutely massive.”
Haggerty shocked the world late last month with a stunning first-round stoppage of Nong-O – which came as a surprise to Harrison.
The 37-year-old said: “To be perfectly honest, I didn’t think Jonathan was going to win that fight. But he proved everybody wrong. I’m glad he did.
“Not just for making this fight, but for British Muay Thai and for himself. He’s a nice kid and he deserves everything he gets.”
Harrison was left stunned by Nong-O’s lack of a strategy for ‘The General’, saying: “He’s usually cold and calculated and picks his shots.
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“You can tell there is a lot of thinking and method to his game plan. In that fight, Nong-O had no game plan whatsoever and he showed Jon no respect.
“I don’t think though Jonathan as tough as he is and I don’t think he thought he’d be able to hit as hard. as he does.”
Despite ONE’s rapid global expansion – which will see them debut in the USA this weekend – they have yet to touch down in the United Kingdom.
And Harrison, like many others, reckons the mouthwatering bout with Haggerty would be the perfect fight for the promotion’s maiden event on these shores.
He said: “This would be massive [for the UK]. We spoke to Chatri before this – about six to eight months ago – before me and Jonathan were even in title contention.
“Obviously, when I had my title shot, my knee went. I tore the ligaments in my knee – so mine ended in complete disaster. So it was back to the drawing board.
“But Jonathan has done it himself, he’s taken it upon himself and he’s done it for British Muay Thai.
“And now, we’re back in this position where we can make this fight happen.”
Haggerty has had his sights on a domestic dust-up with Harrison for years, issuing several respectful call-outs.
And they, as well as his ferocious fighting style, have endeared him to Harrison, who said of the 26-year-old: “He’s never been disrespectful.
“There’s never been any trash talk or things like that. He just wants to fight the best.
“And as a young up-and-coming fighter, that’s what you want to do. And he’s done that now – he’s just knocked out the best fighter at our weight.
“It’s not like he’s out there talking s**t and trash-talking and not backing it up. He does it and he does it respectfully.
“It will be a great fight when we get in the ring because he’s not scared to get stuck in and I’m certainly not scared to get stuck in and go to war.
“And I think [it’s exciting] for the British public and for fight fans. To fill an arena over here – which I 100 per cent believe we’ll do pretty easily.
“A 12,000 or 13,000-seater arena like Wembley Arena – I think we’ll fill that no problem.”
Harrison is hoping to resume full training late in the summer but doesn’t plan to jump straight into a showdown with Haggerty.
The Bad Company ace said: “I want to have one fight first.”
He said of his rehab: “You can’t rush anything because if it goes again, then that will be my career done.
“I’m just taking it slowly – one a day at a time. But I’m ahead of schedule.”
That being said, he has a respectful message for the new king of the bantamweights.
He said: “Mate, keep a hold of the belt. I will win my comeback fight and let’s just give the British fans what everyone is asking for.
“And let’s give them a night that they’ll remember. The first ONE Championship show will have to be a fight that everyone remembers.
“And I think with my style and Jon’s style, we can give them that.”