Johan Ghazali responds to Rustam Yunusov rivalry

Muay Thai fighter Johan Ghazali has expressed willingness to face Rustam Yunusov following recent criticisms from the Russian athlete. The tension follows Yunusov’s post-fight comments in which he dismissed Ghazali as an actor rather than a legitimate fighter.

Ghazali, who recently improved his record to 28-11 with a victory over Diego Paez, responded to the remarks by treating the insult as a compliment. He noted that if fans desire the matchup, he has no issue competing against Yunusov, who currently holds an unblemished 18-0 record, including a nine-fight winning streak in ONE Championship.

The rivalry dates back to their time in the IFMA World Youth Muay Thai Championships. The two competed three times as teenagers; Yunusov won the first two encounters, while Ghazali won their most recent meeting in 2022 at the 60 kg weight class.

While acknowledging Yunusov’s difficult southpaw stance, Ghazali questioned the caliber of the opposition Yunusov has faced during his winning streak, suggesting that his own recent schedule has involved more challenging opponents.