Jarred Brooks and Joshua Pacio. ONE CHAMPIONSHIP
MANILA, Philippines — ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua Pacio is set to defend his title against No.1 contender Jarred Brooks as the main event of ONE 158 on June 3 at Singapore Indoor Stadium.
ONE Championship announced the development on Friday as the strawweight champion from Team Lakay is set to test the mettles of the veteran American Fighter, who remained unbeaten in his first three bouts.
Pacio won his last four fights including a first-round technical knockout over the fifth-ranked Yosuke Saruta of Japan last September.
The reigning champion has no plans on giving up his title to Brooks.
“Philippines, we have the strawweight belt here in our beloved country. Soon, we’ll need to defend it against Jarred Brooks of the United States,” Pacio said in a press release. “I need your support and love to keep what is ours. This is Joshua Pacio, your champion, laban natin itong lahat (This is our fight).”
Brooks, who joined ONE Championship October last year, dominated his first three fights, submitting Team Lakay’s Lito Adiwang in Round 2 during his debut last November 2021, beating Hiroba Minowa via unanimous decision before his technical knockout victory over former top-ranked strawweight Bokang Masunyane last month.
Brooks warns Pacio that he will take his belt with a submission either in the first or second round.
“While I do think Joshua has some really great capabilities, I don’t think he has the same heart as me. He doesn’t have the same will and determination to win that I have,” he said. “I will be the next ONE strawweight World Champion, and my prediction is that I’m going to submit Pacio in the first or second round.”