Danny “The King” Kingad, who will tag along with three other Team Lakay mainstays, would be competing for a ONE Flyweight World Title in his next bout on November 10, 2017 at the Mall of Asia in Pasay as he is set to challenge reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes in the co-main event of ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD.
ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang is co-headlining the event against ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin Nguyen in a cross-divisional showdown of epic proportions.
Also appearing in the event are Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon, Gina “Conviction” Iniong and Joshua Pacio.
Belingon(16-5), is set to face unbeaten Korean-American prospect Kevin “Old Boy” Chung (5-0).
Belingon, who has laid waste to the biggest names in the bantamweight division in his past few outings, is knocking on the doorstep of another title shot against reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes, whom he lost to in 2016.
Belingon’s past three victories includes two scintillating stoppages over fellow former world title challengers Toni Tauru and Reece McLaren.
The atomweight contender Iniong is set to take on Jakarta, Indonesia’s Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol.
Iniong joined ONE Fighting Championship last April and got off to a rousing start by thoroughly defeating Filipino-English competitor Natalie Gonzales Hills via unanimous decision.
The highly-regarded Iniong (5-2), is considered a major threat to “Unstoppable” Angela Lee’s ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship.
Pacio will be taking on compatriot Roy “The Dominator” Doliguez (7-4) of Manila. Doliguez, a former professional boxer and another former world title challenger, is fresh off a comeback knockout win against the highly-regarded Yago Bryan.
Pacio is looking to bounce back from a heartbreaking setback to Hayato Suzuki last August.
After nearly defeating reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka Naito in 2016, Pacio went on to trump former champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke last March, before running into Suzuki months later.
Kingad is currently holding a career record of 8-0, outlasting Muhhamad Aiman last April and Eugene Torquero last December.
He was scheduled to fight in the card of Surabaya, Indonesia, ONE: Conquest Of Kings but was postponed indefinitely.
Moraes boast of a 16-2 record. Moraes recently regained his coveted belt this past August in Macao, becoming the undisputed flyweight king by unifying the titles and snapping former champion Kairat Akhmetov‘s perfect 23-bout win streak.
It was the perfect payback for the Brazilian, as Akhmetov was the one who first dethroned him via an incredibly close split decision.
Among his Filipino victims were Geje Eustaquio last 2014 and Eugene Torquero in 2016.
In an interview with ONE Championship, Kingad acknowledges his opponent doesn’t possess known weaknesses but vows to go for a knockout.
“Adriano does not have many weaknesses. In fact, he is probably the closest to being a complete martial artist,” the challenger says. “His striking is on point, his grappling is top-notch, and you really cannot underestimate him for one minute”, he said
“He is open to counters, and all I have to do is land that one big shot,” the Filipino continues. “That is why I am working on my strength and power, so that when I do connect, it is going to be lights out.”
Torquero, a known flashy striker, gave Moraes the toughest test of his career when he nearly stopped him with a clean, solid punch.
Kingad believes it could earn him the highly-coveted title if he does the same. To able to land a solid shot at the champion could make him the youngest flyweight world champion in history.
“Make no mistake about it, I am going for the knockout. This is going to be the most exciting bout of the year,” he concludes.
By: ARMANDO M. BOLISLIS
