Eduard Folayang recently found himself back in the winner’s circle, and he’s not planning to take a break anytime soon.
Following his victory at ONE Fight Night 14, where he arrested his five-fight losing skid by knocking out Amir Khan with a solid left hook in the third round of their rematch, Folayang is eager to keep the momentum going.
“It’s always about setting the next plan and looking forward to the next logical steps to advance my career,” he told Tiebreaker Times.
He’s eyeing a quick turnaround and hopes to be part of ONE Championship’s inaugural event in Doha, Qatar.
Company head honcho Chatri Sityodtong announced this past September that the promotion plans to hold ONE 165 in Qatar’s capital city, with a tentative date set for either November or December.
The 39-year-old Baguio City native wasted no time throwing his name into the hat for consideration as the organization has yet to announce its full bout lineup for the historic card.
Qatar holds a special significance for Folayang as it was the site where he captured the silver medal in wushu sanda at the 2006 Asian Games.
“It’s the place where I got my silver medal in the Asian Games. I want to be there, to be fighting there,” he stated.
As for his potential opponent at ONE 165, Folayang has not singled out any specific name.
However, one name that looms large and could make for an intriguing matchup is Yoshihiro Akiyama.
Both men were initially scheduled to face each other in April 2021, but Akiyama had to withdraw due to a bicep tear.
The encounter was rescheduled for ONE 164 in December 2022, but once again, Akiyama had to pull out, citing undisclosed reasons.
With their history of canceled bouts and unfinished business, ONE 165 could be the perfect avenue to settle the score between Folayang and Akiyama.
