EDUARD Folayang is still determined to fight on, and is still hoping to set a match against Yoshihiro Akiyama.
“If given the chance to face him, of course I’d want to test him. I haven’t faced him before, and I want to see how I’d fare against him,” Folayang said.
“Maybe in time we’ll cross paths, and it will be an honor to finally face him.”
Akiyama withdrew from their scheduled bout in April due to an injury sustained during training and has not been lined up for a fight.
Folayang, meanwhile, went on to face Shinya Aoki for the third time, absorbing his second loss in three fights with the Japanese fighter.
It was Folayang’s third straight loss for the former lightweight champion, but the 36-year-old from Baguio is determined to fight on.
Folayang’s end goal is still in regaining the One lightweight division belt, currently held by reigning World Champion Christian Lee.
He knows that fight won’t happen now, but he is hoping to move toward a title shot.
“I still want to test myself against him in the future. I know that I am not in the position to call him out now, but still my eyes are on him,” Folayang said.
“I’ve seen how much Christian Lee has improved and grown through the years. I’m really impressed with how easily he transitioned from featherweight to lightweight, and from the tough opposition that he’s faced, he showed what he can truly do.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
