Former two-time ONE Lightweight MMA world champion Eduard 'Landslide' Folayang took time to visit his Filipino countryman and WBA/IBF Super Bantamweight world champion Marlon Tapales ahead of the biggest fight of the latter’s career.
Tapales takes on No. 2-ranked pound-for-pound fighter and WBC/WBO champion Naoya Inoue on December 26 for the undisputed super bantamweight crown in a match in which only a few people expect the Filipino to win.
Folayang keeps faith
Not Folayang, though. And he made it known to Tapales by visiting the Shape Up Boxing Gym in Baguio City, where the 31-year-old Filipino pugilist is holding camp.
In a way, Folayang is familiar with Tapales’ position as the heavy underdog having to face a red-hot Japanese world champion.
That was his own story when he first faced Shinya Aoki for the ONE Lightweight MMA world title in 2016, and it was a fight in which no one outside of Team Lakay gave Folayang a chance against the Japanese grappling wizard.
Aoki came into the match having won his last nine and 16 of his last 17 and held an advantage over the Filipino who had notable limitations on the ground.
But Folayang proved that fights are settled inside the circle and not on paper, as he utilized his movement, takedown defense, and heavy striking to perfection to score the biggest win of his career, and most likely, the biggest win in history of Philippine MMA to date.
"I was in the same situation seven years ago. I know what he’s going through as an athlete, especially if you’re being labelled as an underdog,” he said.
“The pressure will always be there. It’s all about finding motivation in it, finding perspective, knowing that there are a lot at stake in the fight.”
With that in mind, he’s confident that Tapales can also pull off the improbable with faith and hardwork and head back to the Philippines as the guy who chopped off “The Monster’s” head.
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