Folayang preparing for Nguyen’s speed

The Makati skyline provides the perfect backdrop for Eduard Folayang and Martin Nguyen’s first face off. Photo by Celest Flores-Colina

Filipino ONE champion Eduard Folayang knows the caliber of opponent he’s up against.

Folayang is anticipating a speedier fighter in Martin Nguyen, also the ONE featherweight champion, in his second title defense of his lightweight title on November 10 at Mall of Asia Arena.

“Ev Ting is a natural lightweight. Mark is a natural featherweight. So I expect that he will be faster and quicker than Ev Ting. It will be a good match up,” said Folayang on Tuesday during their face off in Makati.

The Baguio native said he was impressed with how Nguyen took down Marat Gafurov to earn his world title in Macao just last August months after he defeated Ting in a dominant performance via unanimous decision.

Against his upcoming Vietnamese-Australian foe, who is moving up weight for their cross-divisional fight, Folayang wants to prove that the lightweight is his territory.

“I want to teach him that the lightweight division,” said Folayang, who was a high school teacher in Mountain Province before joining Team Lakay. “As a champion, I want my division to be respected so I will do my best to defend the title.”

He has already tweaked his training for his second bout this year, anticipating Nguyen’s quick attacks and counters.

Nguyen, meanwhile, said that weight doesn’t pose any problems for him knowing he has bigger things worry about against Folayang.

“Surprisingly, I’m still the weight I usually compete during fight camp. I don’t have problems when it comes to that,” said Nguyen.

“I know Eduard is going to be strong. I still have my speed. But I know it’s going to be a chess game.”