Johan Ghazali carries the torch of his family’s fighting tradition into his next assignment.
“Jojo” returns to action against Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat in a flyweight Muay Thai bout at ONE 167 on Prime Video. This U.S. primetime event airs live from the fabled Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 7.
At just 17 years old, Ghazali has already made a significant impact in ONE Championship.
His run in the world’s largest martial arts organization has been nothing short of spectacular so far. He has won five consecutive matches, with four of them coming by way of knockout.
He is truly a once-in-a-generation talent whose potential seems limitless. Yet, for those who know his family history, his rapid ascent is not surprising—it’s destiny.
“My dad’s pretty well-known in Malaysia. He was part of the old-school Muay Thai scene in Malaysia. My mom started training in America when she was 15. My mom was a housewife before we had the gym, but now with the gym, she’s a promoter (the gym hosts the Rentap Fighting Championship),” Ghazali said.
Apart from his parents, the other towering figure in Ghazali’s ancestry is his grandfather, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Mohd Ghazali bin Che Mat.
A high-ranking general in the Malaysian defense forces and a celebrated personality in the nation, Tan Sri Ghazali instilled values of discipline and courage that echo through generations.
“My granddad on my dad’s side is a war hero, a true veteran. You can easily search him up on Google,” the young phenom said.
“He’s done tremendous things for the country during his service, and I think maybe that fight in me really came down from him.”
