MARIO Sismundo seeks to step out of the shadows of his famous lookalike as he banners the Filipinos in action in the World Series of Fighting-Global Championship on Saturday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Filipino mixed martial artist, who many feel is a dead-ringer for boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, takes on Chinese fighter Keremuaili Maimaitituoheti in the co-headliner of the 10-fight card that starts at 6 p.m.
“Sobrang na-inspire ako na kamukha ko si Manny Pacquiao kasi yung kahawig ko ay ‘di ordinaryong tao kundi sikat sa buong mundo,” said Sismundo, also from General Santos City like boxing’s only eight-division champion.
He once doubled for Pacquiao in a TV commercial.
“Baka sa pagtiya-tiyaga at sipag sa mga laban ko, isang araw, masundan ko rin ang yapak ng idolo ko,” he added.
Sismundo, who passed the welterweight limit along with the rest of the fighters in the weigh-in on Friday, offers the fight to his father, who passed away a month ago.
“Sa pinakamalaking laban ng buhay ko, na matagal niyang hinintay, wala na siya … pero hindi iyon hadlang para ako manghina o mawalan ng gana lumaban,” Sismundo said.
“Bagkos, lalo ko pang pag-iigihan ang training ko para manalo sa laban na ito, dahil inaalay ko sa kanya ang laban na ito.”
Defending heavyweight champion Evgeny Erokhin makes his title defense against Richard Odoms in the main event of the card where a lucky member of the audience will win P1 million.
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