Malaysian Muay Thai fighter Johan Ghazali Zulfikar suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Japan’s Shimon Yoshinari at ONE Samurai 1 in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Johan, also known as “Jojo”, entered the flyweight bout on the back of two consecutive wins, but was unable to extend his winning streak against the highly experienced Yoshinari at Ariake Arena.
The fight started at a fast pace, with both athletes attempting to establish control early. Yoshinari used his height and reach advantage effectively, landing calf kicks and counterstrikes to manage distance, while Jojo looked to close the gap and responded with solid combinations in the opening round.
In the second round, Jojo briefly gained momentum after scoring a knockdown with a punch. However, Yoshinari recovered quickly, increasing his aggression and managing to knock Jojo down before the round ended.
The third round saw Jojo dropped early by a calf kick, after which Yoshinari maintained control of the fight with continued leg attacks and sharp counterstriking, securing his advantage until the final bell.
The victory earned Yoshinari a bonus of 4.5 million yen (approximately RM111,000) as well as a US$100,000 (about RM395,000) ONE Championship contract.
Speaking after the fight, Yoshinari praised his opponent, saying Jojo showed strong performance throughout the bout and described the win as a major career milestone.
The defeat marks Jojo’s fifth loss in ONE Championship since making his debut in 2023, with the Malaysian now expected to regroup and reassess his strategy moving forward.
