Seasoned Fernandes wages ONE bantamweight title to young Leone
Main event combatants ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes (L) vs Andrew Leone (R)
MACAU–—It’s the cliché storyline of experience versus youth as Bibiano Fernandes defends his ONE Bantamweight title to Andrew Leone in Kings & Conquerors come Saturday at Cotai Arena.
Fernandes (20-3) is 37-years-old and has held his belt since October 2013 when he beat Soo Chul Kim for the undisputed title, while Leone, 27, (8-2) began his ONE career just a few months before in May of the same year.
With a stellar ONE Championship career, there’s nothing left for The Flash but he assured that there will always be something new that he will bring to the table.
“I always improve, every day I’m improving,” said Fernandes during the fight’s press conference Thursday at The Venetian. “I’ll keep improving, every time I step to the cage I evolve.”
As for Leone, who fought inside the ONE cage for just three times, fighting a more experienced fighter is nothing new to him.
Leone took a unanimous decision victory over Shinichi Kojima in his second ONE Championship fight, and he admitted that the 38-year-old Japanese was someone he’ll always look up to.
“I fought Kojima and I looked up to him,” said Leone. “Bibiano has been a champion for a long time and I respect him, it’s going to be a tough night but I’m looking forward to it. I’m going out on Saturday to try to win a world championship.”
Fernandes, though, isn’t just experienced on the mat as he’s also a stalwart in front of the microphone.
“I’m going to bring my best to this fight, I’m going to bring my best jiu-jitsu,” said Fernandes. “I’m a disciplined fighter, I work hard and do my best in training. My opponent says he can defeat me, well let’s see.”
