Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
LA TRINIDAD—Joshua Pacio, Team Lakay’s 23-year-old star, has been a ONE champion twice in his young career.
Yet he doesn’t feel like one.
“I believe that you’re not really a champion until you have successfully defended your belt,” he told the Inquirer in Filipino.
Pacio became ONE’s strawweight champion after dethroning grappling specialist Yoshitaka Naito in September last year.
His reign as the division’s kingpin was cut short by promotion newcomer Yosuke Saruta, who won by split decision in January. Though he was able to get back at his Japanese foe three months later here, Pacio has not been able to fend off a challenger.
“Whenever you’re a champion, all eyes are on you. You have to take things a notch higher,” he said. “That’s why I’m putting in the work.”
Pacio has joined teammates Danny Kingad, Lito Adiwang, Kevin Belingon and Honorio Banario in logging twice-a-day workouts in preparation for their respective matches in ONE’s landmark event in Tokyo, Japan, this October.
Pacio continues to work hard even though his next foe is yet to be determined.
“They haven’t planned anything for me yet,” he said. “I’m just focused on bringing out an even better version of myself.”
“My fights in January and April show an identical version of me,” Pacio explained. “I feel like I need to flaunt a newer version of Joshua next time.”
“I hope to become more confident … in every aspect of my game,” he said.