‘She’s Going To Make It To The Top’ – Johan Ghazali Praises Olivia Bahsous Ahead Of The Inner Circle 35
· Yahoo Sports
Some fighters find their closest bonds through years of shared sacrifice. For Johan “Jojo” Ghazali and Olivia “Diamond” Bahsous, that commitment started when they were still kids.
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Today, both call ONE Championship home, and in a matter of weeks, it is Bahsous’s turn in the spotlight. The 16-year-old faces Malia Weaver in an atomweight Muay Thai clash at The Inner Circle 35 on Friday, October 16, streaming exclusively for subscribers at live.onefc.com in Asia primetime from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium.
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Ghazali will be watching closely as the Canadian makes her third appearance on the global stage. Back-to-back highlight-reel finishes over Phontip Khlongtoeiyouthcenter and Nonglek Krudamgym have Bahsous on track toward the coveted US$100,000 main roster contract – the same milestone “Jojo” achieved after his own breakthrough run on the weekly series.
That shared sacrifice traces back long before either of them ever set foot inside the promotion. The Ghazali and Bahsous households go way back, first crossing paths roughly five years ago while training together for the IFMA Youth World Championship.
Ghazali said:
“The Canadian team decided to come to Rentap and they trained with us for two weeks. After it was done, some of them left. But then, Olivia and her entire family came back to train with us again.
“Olivia was so small. I was, too. So yeah, we go way back before ONE Championship, before fame and all that. They’re like my day ones. We went through hell together, basically.”
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Even back then, something about Bahsous stood out to Ghazali. Years later, that early impression has only been reinforced.
She has since gone on to become a three-time IFMA Junior World Champion and, at just 13 years old, the youngest female athlete ever to compete at Lumpinee Stadium, credentials that make her current run in ONE feel like a natural continuation of a career already years in the making.
He said:
“She’s extremely dedicated. She wants it. Even when we were much younger, I’d say I saw it in her. Even though she cried some times, she still showed up when other 11-year-old girls didn’t really want it.
“You can see that she’s dedicated and she actually wants to be a good fighter. That’s what really stood out about her. And I think the world now can see that Olivia actually wants to be a leading fighter.”
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That bond extended well beyond the training mats, too. Whenever the Bahsous family made the trip to Kuching, Sarawak, long training sessions would often end with family dinners and shared moments that turned training partners into something closer to family.
Watching the 16-year-old blossom into the athlete she is today, seizing her opportunity in ONE Championship just as Ghazali continues to do himself, resonates with the Malaysian-American teenager.
“Jojo” sees the same fire in her now that he had during his perfect 4-0 stretch at the start of his ONE Friday Fights journey.
He said:
“She’s very, very motivated. One thing I like about Olivia is that everything is in place for her. You know, she has all the best guidance. Her dad is really dedicated to it. He helps her with everything from nutrition to strength and conditioning.
“I feel like she’s going to make it to the top for sure. Her support system, particularly her dad, has been top. So yeah, I see her going very far like me. It would be sweet to conquer a division and see her do the same in ONE too.”
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Learning The Ropes, On And Off Camera
Johan Ghazali’s guidance has not been limited to what happens inside the ring. Off camera, he has helped Olivia Bahsous navigate one of the more underrated parts of building a career in the spotlight: learning how to speak in front of it.
Having studied countless interviews from his favorite athletes over the years, Ghazali has become something of a natural in front of the cameras himself, and he has made a point of passing that knowledge along.
The 19-year-old said:
“It was really hard for her to speak in front of cameras before, and it took so much practice. But I told her it’s going to be a big part of her career nowadays, especially if she continues winning.
“Even before helping her on fight night, I’ve been sending her podcasts. I’m still sending her a bunch of athletes and interviews that she can learn from. Her dad is a good speaker as well, so I’m very sure she’ll learn fast.”
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Her post-fight interviews have certainly grown more polished with each outing, but it is what she does before the cameras ever roll, inside the ring itself, that continues to leave the biggest impression.
Ghazali has watched both of her outings in the organization closely, and neither left much room for doubt about the kind of world-class talent she is becoming.
“Jojo” said:
“Both her performances here really showed who Olivia really is. Her style is a very forward-fighting style. She’s got good aggression, and when she’s in the ring, she loves destroying people.”
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