By Rafael Bandayrel
Team Lakay icon Eduard “Landslide” Folayang’s birthday wish is to become a two-time ONE champion.
That’s why there will be no celebration on his 35th birthday on Nov. 22 since it falls a day before his scheduled lightweight championship clash with Singapore’s Amir Khan at the Mall of Asia Arena, in Pasay.
Folayang said he needs to stay focused and fully motivated in time for his duel with Khan.
“There’s no greater gift I can receive on my 35th birthday other than winning the ONE lightweight world title back,” the Baguio native said. “And there’s no better place to do it but in front of my countrymen.”
Three weeks ago, Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen was forced to relinquish his lightweight crown due to a serious knee injury. It didn’t take long until ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced that Folayang and Khan will vie for the vacated title.
Since dropping the strap to Nguyen almost a year ago, Folayang clawed his way back up the 170-pound division after scoring back-to-back decisions over previously-unbeaten Russians Kharun Atlangeriev and Aziz Pahrudinov.
Folayang revealed that there were people who doubted his decision to keep on fighting after getting knocked out by Nguyen.
