ONE Championship to hold four fight cards in Manila in 2018

ONE Championship Chairman Chatri Sityodtong talks to members of the media during his press scrum Friday at Holiday Inn in Macau.

MACAU—ONE Championship chairman Chatri Sityodtong said Friday the Asian promotion is set to schedule four fight cards in Manila come 2018.

“It’s massive,” said Sityodtong of the growth of ONE in the Philippine market during his media scrum at Holiday Inn here. “We’ve always done one or two events in Manila in the previous years, next year we’ll have a record number of events in the Philippines.”

ONE’s last event in Manila was in March with lightweight champion Eduard Folayang successfully defending his belt against Ev Ting.

Sityodtong said part of their affinity to the Philippines is how similar Folayang and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao’s life stories are.

“I think it resonated because when you look at Eduard his life story is pretty much like Manny Pacquiao,” said Sityodtong.

Folayang and Pacquiao both grew up poor but both found a greater calling in combat sports.

“Eduard’s personality is very much like Manny Pacquiao, he’s very gentle and kind,” said Sityodtong.

“But he’s a fierce tiger, a fierce lion in the cage but outside of it you’d never know he’s a fighter because he’s so kind and humble and his life story is so inspirational.”