For Carlo Bumina-ang, the need for redemption has become a rallying cry as he gears up for his next assignment.
The 29-year-old Baguio City native returns to action on the undercard of ONE Friday Fights 44, which takes place at the world-renowned Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand this December 8.
There, he squares off against Turkish-Russian debutant Ilyas Dursun in a three-round bantamweight encounter.
Recognizing the lapses from his last outing, Bumina-ang is determined to showcase a more decisive and dominant performance to solidify his place among the growing number of blue-chip prospects in Philippine mixed martial arts today.
“ONE Friday Fights has helped me become a better fighter, in my opinion. My last fight was difficult, but at the same time, I gained a lot of experience and confidence there,” he told Tiebreaker Times.
Despite boasting an unblemished 2-0 record under the ONE Friday Fights banner, Bumina-ang’s path to victory in his most recent bout was far from easy.
Facing Denis Andreev this past October, “The Bull” found himself in a perilous position for the first time in his budding career.
Andreev’s staggering knee to the midsection in the second round tested Bumina-ang’s resilience, forcing him to dig deep in the third frame to eke out a split decision on the scorecards.
(C) ONEFC.com
“He (Andreev) connected with knees to the body, and I really felt it,” Bumina-ang recalled. “I really didn’t want to lose. That was the mindset. The match kept going and it ended up well for me.”
This instance served as a wake-up call for the hard-hitting Team Lakay member, pushing him to make some necessary adjustments.
“We’re going to adjust definitely. We looked at the things that made it difficult for me, especially the knees from the last fight, so we studied that and tried to address the mistakes,” he shared.
As the spotlight shifts to ONE Friday Fights 44, Bumina-ang understands that he has his hands full opposite Dursun.
Dursun enters the matchup with an undefeated 3-0 slate, and Bumina-ang has scouted his opponent thoroughly.
Armed with confidence in his own skills, Bumina-ang believes that he possesses the tools necessary to counteract Dursun’s best attributes.
“I think in terms of damage and striking, that will be my advantage in this fight,” he said.
“When it comes to ground control, I know that he’s also good on the ground, so we need to continue what we’re doing during training. I hope that it all works out entering this next fight.”
Learning from his shortcomings, he has meticulously prepared to deliver a performance that will leave no room for doubt.
“What I learned from the past fight is if I actively look for that finish, I lose my focus. Now, I want to finish it naturally, the best way possible, and get a good KO or submission,” Bumina-ang declared.
