A tale of redemption and triumph will unfold as Eduard Folayang straps on a pair of four-ounce gloves once again inside the iconic Singapore Indoor Stadium on September 30.
The significance of his upcoming rematch against hometown favorite Amir Khan on the undercard of ONE Fight Night 14 goes beyond the Circle – it’s a chance for Folayang to rewrite his narrative.
For the Filipino superstar, the 12,000-capacity arena located in the urbanized Singaporean locale of Kallang isn’t just a battleground. It’s a canvas on which he has painted some of the most iconic chapters of his storied career.
It was at this very venue in September 2011 that he headlined ONE Championship’s inaugural card. There, he turned in a commanding performance to soundly beat South Korean veteran A Sol Kwon by unanimous decision.
The same building also bore witness to Folayang’s most defining moment when he pulled off a stunning upset victory over Japanese legend Shinya Aoki via third-round technical knockout to capture the ONE lightweight title.
Fast forward to the present, his journey has taken an unexpected turn, grappling with a string of five losses under mixed martial arts rules.
As the tides bring him back to the Singapore Indoor Stadium, the 39-year-old Baguio City native cannot help but reminisce about his debut and first win under the promotion’s banner.
“I’m super excited and grateful that 12 years later, I’m still here and competing. I believe it’s high time again to make history once more, this time with a lot of experiences, in a place where my career was made,” he told Tiebreaker Times.
Returning to the state-of-the-art showground to face Khan presents an opportunity for a full-circle juncture – an occasion to celebrate both his past achievements and his unwavering determination to conquer the challenges that lie ahead.
“The nice thing about it is there is always a way to rewrite your story and fix whatever needs to be fixed in the past,” he stated.
