Joshua Pacio is on his second reign as ONE world strawweight champion, and the Team Lakay youngster said he’s far from reaching his full potential.
The 23-year-old Baguio native reclaimed his gold when he knocked Yosuke Saruta out 2:43 into the fourth round with a crushing right knee to the temple in the co-main event of ONE: Roots of Honor.
Pacio’s victory erased his earlier loss to Saruta, who earned a controversial split decision win last Jan. 19 in Jakarta.
“There are so many people saying that this is my pinnacle, that this is my peak, but I still have many years left in me,” said Pacio in Filipino Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena. “This isn’t my peak, I still have so many things to learn. The other fighters are leveling up, so I too should level up.”
Pacio (14-3) had his first reign as champion when he beat Yoshitaka Naito on Sept. 22, 2018 in Jakarta but his rule over the strawweight division lasted just four months after he lost to Saruta.
Sityodtong immediately ordered a rematch and it was in the second bout that Pacio showed that he truly was king of the 125-pound division.