Kuching-based Muay Thai phenom Jojo beats WBC world champ in 36-second KO

KUCHING (Dec 9): Malaysian-American Muay Thai phenomenon Muhammad Johan Ghazali Zulfilkar scored another breakthrough by defeating WBC world champion Edgar Tabares from Mexico.

It only took the 17-year-old from Rentap Muay Thai Gym in Kuching a mere 36 seconds to deliver a highlight-reel knockout blow against the Mexican star in his US Primetime US ONE Championship debut at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand today.

The talented Johan, better known as Jojo, defeated Tabares in the first round with a powerful head-body combination which resulted in a knockout.

Watch video here.

This is his fifth victory in all ONE Championship fights this year since February and he became the youngest champion at the age of 16 on Oct 6 this year to get a US$100,000 contract after knocking out 25-year old Russian fighter Temiran Bekmurzaev in a ONE Friday Fight 36 at the same venue.

Interviewed after his victory, Johan said he felt great as it had been a hectic fight and thanked God for the win and everything.

“It is amazing and I am on the big stage now. This is just the beginning of and there are a lot of bigger fights to come and I am going to take my time to take on somebody on the world top five.

“Slowly, step by step but my name Johan in Malay means champion and I will be forever on a mission to prove and live by my name.

“Mark my words, I will be the world’s youngest Muay Thai champions ever,” he vowed.