Filipino MMA bet Vaughn Donayre in a ONE Championship bout. PHOTO from ONE CHAMPIONSHIP
Only two months removed from his last loss, Vaughn Donayre is set to return to the cage anew this January.
Donayre is determined to join the winner’s circle to welcome the new year when he takes on Dutch-Indonesian Vincent Latoel on January 14 in ONE: Quest for Power in Jakarta, Indonesia.
“It’s not surprising that I have this fight. I asked for another fight immediately right after the bout against Amir Khan in November. Even if I win or lose, I will fight again anytime,” he said.
The 37-year-old Filipino lost to Amir Khan at ONE: Defending Honor in Singapore last November, stretching his losing skid in the promotion to four.
Instead of setting him back, the submission loss to the Singaporean bet only fueled Donayre’s desire for victory even more.
“I need this win. I can’t lose forever. It feels like I’ve been losing forever already. But this is my chance to prove that there is a light at the end of tunnel. No one stays on the losing side,” he stated.
Donayre is facing a 36-year-old veteran kickboxer in Latoel, who is also looking to end a slump of his own after back-to-back losses.
But Donayre is optimistic it’s his time to come out victorious for the first time since joining ONE on August 2014.
“I am motivated to win this fight. I want to secure my first win in ONE Championship. That’s my goal. It keeps me focused and driven for this fight,” he said.
Despite his dismal record, he is not letting the frustrations get to him as long as he gets to do what he’s passionate about.
“I am continuing my career as an MMA fighter because I love this sport. It keeps me alive. Moreover, this is what I live for. Setbacks don’t matter because I love what I do. That’s why I do it,” he shared.