Robin Catalan celebrates explosive win. photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Robin Catalan is slowly climbing up the ranks of the strawweight division of ONE Championship but there’s still someone in the past that he feels he needs to defeat first.
Coming off a spectacular knockout finish of Gustavo Balart at ONE: Masters of Fate in November, Catalan now looks at the promotion’s inaugural strawweight champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke as his next opponent.
Catalan’s purpose for fighting Amnuaysirichoke isn’t just personal, it’s familial.
“I can take on anyone right now because I am so excited to fight after this lockdown, but if I am to choose, I want to face Dejdamrong again,” said Catalan.
Catalan (10-6) first fought Amnuaysirichoke (11-5) in August 2017 but lost 46 seconds into the second round via technical knockout.
A couple of years before that, it was Catalan’s older brother who lost to Amnuaysirichoke via knockout 2:30 into the first round of their 2015 bout.
“I think I didn’t fight to my potential against him. My preparation wasn’t sufficient, and it showed because he got the KO finish over me,” said Catalan.
“I just want to finish that first. In a sense, it’s also for our pride because Dejdamrong beat me and my brother in the past, so I just want to get that back.”
A fight between the two could have an impact on the ONE Strawweight rankings with Team Lakay’s Joshua Pacio holding the seat atop as the World champion.
Catalan has yet to fight Pacio but both his brother and Amnuaysirichoke have lost to the 24-year-old champion from Benguet.
“I’ll certainly be ready. I have to work on my cardio and maybe improve on my wrestling a bit. Of course, I also have to polish my striking because we all know he’s a good striker,” Catalan says.
“You can expect a more explosive version of me in my return. Someone who is hungry and never satisfied.”