EDWARD Kelly seeks another sensational victory that’s as quick as his rise to ranks as he takes on Narantungalag Jadambaa in ONE: Pinnacle of Power on June 23 at the Studio City Event Center in Macau.
Kelly, a homegrown Filipino featherweight contender, is oozing with confidence following a knockout win over Meas Meul of Cambodia last January in a fight that took just 21 seconds to finish for the fastest KO and finish in the history of ONE’s featherweight division.
“In my upcoming bout, my fans should expect that I will have the same mentality: I will look for that finish,” Kelly said ahead of his fight against Jadambaa.
“The record does not mean much,” the 34-year-old Baguio native was quick to add. “Whether it is 21 seconds or the full three rounds, what matters is that I prepared myself to be the best.”
The Team Lakay product, who sports a 10-4 win-loss record and has won all but one of his last five fights, is banking on his youth against the 42-year-old Jadambaa, who is coming off a loss and a long break, having last fought in November 2016 when he bowed to Marat Gafurov.
Still, Kelly is wary of his Mongolian foe, a former featherweight champion.
“To be honest, Jadambaa is one of the very few peers that I look up to in ONE Championship,” Kelly said. “He is my idol. He is incredibly tough and durable. But most importantly, he has a big heart. It is honor for me to compete against him.”
The fight is on the undercard of the main event featuring two bouts, including one pitting another Lakay standout in Geje Eustaquio and Adriano Moraes in a flyweight title unification fight.
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