Folayang expects fun fight between ‘never boring’ Alvarez, Lapicus
👑 Adriano Moraes 🆚 Demetrious Johnson
😤 Eddie Alvarez 🆚 Iuri Lapicus
🥊 Rodtang 🆚 Danial Williams
We're READY for 7 April! 🔥🔥🔥@adrianomkmoraes @MightyMouse @Ealvarezfight #ONEonTNT #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship pic.twitter.com/i4klGVuzSs— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) March 31, 2021
MANILA, Philippines—Eduard Folayang is busy preparing for his bout against fellow combat veteran Yoshihiro Akiyama but he’s also keeping tabs on the division that he once reigned.
On April 8, no.2 lightweight contender Iuri Lapicus will take on MMA legend Eddie Alvarez and Folayang sees an absolute firecracker of a match between the two contrasting fighters.
Lapicus (14-1), 25, is a submission specialist with 10 of his wins coming via submission while Alvarez (30-7) is more of a knockout artist with 18 of his fights ending in strikes.
Yet a man of Alvarez’ caliber, who is former UFC lightweight champion, is no one trick pony with the 37-year-old capable of submitting his opponents with the last one to pass out from his submission being Folayang in 2019.
“It’s a good fight for both guys. Both of them come to fight, and they are never boring. I respect that. It should be entertaining for the fans. They both have solid all-around skills. Eddie is a proven champion, but Iuri’s coming into this very confident. The one who wants it more is going to win. It’s going to come down to willpower,” said Folayang.
Lapicus was on a tear until late 2020 when his 14-fight winning streak got stopped when he lost to champion Christian Lee via first round technical knockout in October of that year.
Alvarez, meanwhile, suffered a first round TKO loss to Timofey Nastyukhin in his ONE Championship debut in March 2019 before he submitted Folayang in his next fight five months later.
“Iuri is younger, and has that youthful energy on his side. Eddie has that veteran experience. He’s been through a lot and has seen it all. It’s hard to calculate who will take this one. As a fan, it will be fun to watch.”
