Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Martin Nguyen had just made history in ONE Championship after becoming the promotion’s first two-division champion, but he is far from over.
After knocking out local hero Eduard Folayang in the Legends of the World card to become the simultaneous featherweight and lightweight titlist, Nguyen has now set his sights on Bibiano Fernandes’ bantamweight belt.
“I want Bibiano a hundred percent next year,” said Nguyen Friday at Mall of Asia Arena. “My weight is all over the place.”
Nguyen, who was riding a five-fight win streak prior to facing Folayang, was the virtual underdog against the hometown hero that even ONE’s chairman Chatri Sityodtong had the Filipino as the favorite.
“I had Eduard as the favorite,” said Sityodtong.
All those pre-fight notions came to an end, though, when Nguyen landed a right straight after dodging Folayang’s spinning heel kick 2:20 into the second round of their lightweight bout.
And taking a drastic change in weight is no problem for Nguyen who will have to shed 25 pounds from his 170-lb lightweight body to challenge for Fernandes’ 145-lb title.
“I’m not only here to win, I want to make history and Bibiano is the next step,” said Nguyen.