Denis Puric has warned Johan Ghazali he would ‘whup his ass in Malaysia’ – but only if ONE Championship makes it worth his while.
The 40-year-old ‘Bosnian Menace’ made the comments in an interview with the Bangkok Post after being asked about Ghazali’s recent social media post in which the teenage Malaysian fighter called himself the ‘pioneer’ of his country’s combat sports scene.
‘To the entire combat sports community in Malaysia, I just want to say you’re welcome,’ Ghazali had written, adding that without his ‘genius marketing’ and ‘crazy fighting style’, Muay Thai in Malaysia ‘would be nowhere near’ where it is today.
Puric couldn’t resist laughing when told about the post.
‘This guy is delusional,’ he said from Canada, where he is preparing to face Takeru Segawa at ONE 173 in Tokyo on November 16. ‘That fight does nothing for me.
‘If I win, they’ll say, ‘You beat a kid.’ If I lose, they’ll say, ‘You got beat by a kid.’ It just doesn’t make sense for me.
‘But if they pay me a lot of money, sure – I’ll give this boy a good beating. Pay me a good amount in Malaysia and I’ll whup his ass in his hometown and shut all his people up. They’re crazy, these people.’
The back-and-forth between the pair has simmered for months, with Ghazali – also of American heritage and still in his teens – repeatedly calling for a fight with Puric.
While the young knockout artist has quickly become one of Malaysia’s biggest sports stars, Puric said he believes the attention has gone to his head.
‘He’s not a bad fighter, but he’s also not a great fighter,’ Puric said. ‘One day he might be – if he just gets out of his own head. Get your head out of your ass and be humble. You don’t have to do all this.’
Despite the sharp words, Puric insisted there was no bad blood, only business.
‘I don’t hate anybody. I love everybody,’ he said. ‘But for the money I’m getting right now, that fight doesn’t make sense in any way. If it makes dollars, it makes ‘cents’.’
Puric, who went the distance with Rodtang Jitmuangnon last year, met Ghazali last month at the 2025 IFMA Youth World Championships in Abu Dhabi, where both were coaching. They were cordial to each other and posed for pictures, and Puric even offered to spar him.
‘I told him, ‘Let’s put some shin guards on and go,” he said. ‘If he got the best of me, I might give him that opportunity to fight.’
For now, Puric’s focus remains on Takeru and a potential run at the flyweight kickboxing title. But if ONE sees enough value in a Malaysia homecoming, he’s ready to turn the heat up.
‘Hey, whatever floats his boat,’ Puric said. ‘He’s famous there, they do parades for him. I’m happy for him – but if they pay me right, I’ll shut him up.’