Pacio taking foe seriously in Jakarta fight card

Joshua Pacio. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

JAKARTA, Indonesia— Filipino champion Joshua Pacio isn’t taking Japanese challenger Yosuke Saruta for granted when they meet in the cage for the strawweight crown in ONE: Eternal Glory on Saturday.

And knowing the kind of challenge that awaits, Pacio vowed he’s going to be in full form for his first title defense.

“I feel I am at my best right now. After a tremendous training camp, I’m ready to step up to the plate and defend my title,” Pacio said during the fighters’ open workout and face off. “This world title means everything to me. It represents all the hard work that me and my team have put in.”

“Yosuke is a very dangerous opponent and I am not taking him lightly. I have prepared for the toughest challenge of my career, and I plan to showcase the best version of Joshua Pacio in the fight.”

Saruta believes he is fully equipped to become the division’s new king.

“When I made my debut a few months ago, I wanted to make a statement. I wanted to prove to the world that I am ready for a title shot immediately,” said Saruta, who beat former champion Alex Silva by unanimous decision just last month.