TLDR
- Jonathan Haggerty will defend his ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing title against Hiroki Akimoto on October 17 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo
- Haggerty holds a perfect kickboxing record in ONE Championship and has already defended the title twice
- Akimoto is a former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing champion who won the belt in 2022 before losing it
- The Japanese fighter rebuilt his career in 2025 with wins over John Lineker and Wei Rui
- Haggerty won the bantamweight kickboxing title in November 2023 by knocking out Fabricio Andrade
Sources: sports.yahoo.com | middleeasy.com
ONE Championship has announced a bantamweight kickboxing title fight between Jonathan Haggerty and Hiroki Akimoto for ONE SAMURAI 4. The event takes place on Saturday, October 17, at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
Haggerty will put his ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title on the line against a man who once held the same championship. The matchup pits the current champion’s perfect kickboxing record in the promotion against a former titleholder looking to reclaim his throne.
Haggerty’s Reign as Champion
The 29-year-old Englishman from London trains at Team Underground and Knowlesy Academy. He carries a career record of 24-5 and stands at 10-3 in ONE Championship.
Haggerty has never lost a kickboxing match under the ONE Championship banner. Before capturing the bantamweight kickboxing title, he held both the ONE Flyweight and Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championships.
He won the bantamweight kickboxing belt in November 2023 at ONE Fight Night 16. Haggerty knocked out Fabricio Andrade in the second round to claim the vacant title and become a two-sport world champion.
"The General" is BACK 👑 Jonathan Haggerty defends the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title against former king Hiroki Akimoto on October 17 at ONE SAMURAI 4! Can Haggerty defeat another Japanese superstar in Tokyo? 🇯🇵 @jhaggerty_ @HirokiAkimoto16 #ONESAMURAI4 | Sat Oct 17… pic.twitter.com/9ZaiXMZxMQ
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) July 8, 2026
The champion has successfully defended the belt twice already. In 2025, he defeated Chinese veteran Wei Rui in his first title defense.
Earlier this year at ONE SAMURAI 1, Haggerty defeated Japanese veteran Yuki Yoza to retain the championship for a second time. Now he faces another Japanese challenger in his home country.
Akimoto’s Road Back to the Title
Akimoto is a 33-year-old fighter based in Tokyo with a career record of 29-4. He has nine victories in ONE Championship and previously held the bantamweight kickboxing title.
The Japanese fighter won the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship at ONE X in 2022. He earned that title shot by winning five of his first six fights in the promotion.
After losing the belt, Akimoto went through a difficult period in his career. But 2025 marked a turning point for the former champion.
He scored victories over former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion John Lineker and Wei Rui last year. Those wins helped rebuild his momentum toward another title shot.
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Akimoto secured his title opportunity with a split-decision victory over Taimu Hisai earlier in 2026. That win confirmed him as the top contender for the belt he once held.
Haggerty enters the fight as one of the top pound-for-pound strikers in the world. His undefeated kickboxing record in ONE Championship will be tested by a fighter who has already proven he can reach the top of the division.
The October 17 event will mark Haggerty’s third defense of the bantamweight kickboxing title. Akimoto will attempt to become a two-time champion in front of his home country fans at the Ariake Arena.
