Team Lakay’s Kevin Belingon (L) and Geje Eustaquio talk to the media during their press lunch Wednesday at Dad’s in Ortigas. Photo by Bong Lozada.
Kevin Belingon is one of the hotter fighters in the bantamweight division of ONE Championship, winning five of his last fights, three of which ending even before the start of the third round.
For almost two years, the Team Lakay member tore through the 135-lb division like a storm but amidst Belingon’s fury there lied one typhoon stronger than him and that’s ONE World bantamweight champion Bibiano Fernandes.
If Belingon’s winning streak has stretched to five fights, Fernandes’ run is at 14 and includes seven stoppages.
That huge discrepancy, however, doesn’t stop Belingon from seeking retribution from the man who last beat him.
“All of us at Team Lakay continue to improve each day so when the chance comes that I get to face Bibiano in July I know I’m ready,” said Belingon (18-5) in Filipino during Team Lakay’s press conference Wednesday at Dad’s in Ortigas.
“I am hungry for this title shot especially Bibiano submitted me in our first fight. That loss really challenged me to improve my skills so I never stopped until I got to that no.1 contender status. I really want to get Bibiano’s belt.”
Belingon’s last loss was in January 2016 in ONE’s Dynasty of Champions 5 where he tapped to Fernandes’ Kimura lock 4:04 into the first round.
Belingon hopes the time that had passed was enough for him to challenge an aging Fernandes (22-3), who turned 38 in March.
“Bibiano’s going up in years now so this is a big chance for me,” said Belingon who is eight years the junior of Fernandes. “Of course I plan to exploit his age and for sure that will be a factor if our fight comes.”