Entering the biggest bout of his career, former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang remains unshaken.
Folayang will be battling multi-time World Champion Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez in a super-bout at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES at the Mall of Asia Arena on 2 August.
Alvarez has been hugely successful wherever he goes, making him one of the biggest signings of ONE Championship in 2018.
Though Folayang will come in as a heavy underdog, he is not planning on wasting this opportunity on this dream match, confident that he can pull the upset rug on Alvarez.
“I always see my hands being raised after the fight. I have time to prepare for the upcoming bout so I will not waste the opportunity. We never know when we’ll face someone like Eddie again so I’ll make a lot of effort to have my hand raised after the fight,” said Folayang.
“I expect to get another shot at the ONE Lightweight World Title if I win here, and that’s my goal.”
Coming off a disappointing loss to Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki in ONE: A NEW ERA to drop his World Title, Folayang is thankful to have this opportunity to bounce back in the biggest way possible – against a proven warrior who has made a name for himself all over the world.
“This is a huge opportunity for me because knowing Eddie, he has an amazing resume. He’s a former Bellator and UFC Champion,” said Folayang.
“This is also a great chance for me to redeem myself because I did not exactly have a good outing the last time,” he added.
“It’s also a great thing that ONE decided to put the event in Manila because they know that this match will not be put to waste [by the Manila crowd].”
When the Circle door closes on August and the bell rings for the first time, Folayang won’t only be carrying the flag of the Philippines – he’ll also be representing Asia in what he describes as the battle of East versus West.
“This is one of the biggest fights of my career. It’s like east versus west knowing that he has made a name for himself out west and even here in Asia. I know this is a highly anticipated bout,” said Folayang.
“This is very important because the stakes are really high. I’ve been in the sport for the longest time and it’s very rare to get an opportunity to face someone in that caliber.”
