Team Lakay’s Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly would be the first to admit that his inconsistency haunts him.
But he is not the type to let that discourage him.
Kelly will have one last chance to end 2019 on a winning note when he battles Tang Kai in his backyard at ONE: Age of Dragons on November 16 at the Cadillac Arena in Beijing, China.
“I’ll give everything in this match. I’ve been inconsistent this year, so that’s why I want to end the year right,” Kelly said.
“I have a lot of plans next year. I want to enter title contention, so that’s why I’ll do everything to win in China.”
The 35-year-old is 1-2 this year, and comes off a technical decision loss against “The Stalker” Xie Bin at ONE: Dawn of Heroes in August.
Despite walking a rocky road, the Bataan-based athlete is confident he has learned a lot from his losses.
“I’m really excited and thankful for this match, especially since I am coming off a loss. This is a good opportunity for me to bounce back and finish my year with a win,” Kelly said.
“It’s my fourth match this year, and I’ve certainly picked up a lot in those matches. I want to show the things that I worked for, and I hope I get to show those improvements.”
“The Ferocious” will look to improve his cardio, which has waned in his previous bouts.
That conditioning, alongside mental readiness, will be key for Kelly in this match.
“I am really focused on my training. There are some new things that I am adding into my routine, and it was based on where I struggled this year,” he said.
“I have to learn how to remain calm in certain situations, and at the same time, I need to improve my cardio. Without the necessary cardio, I don’t think I’ll be able to execute the things I want to do.”
Given Tang’s willingness to stand and trade, Kelly does not expect this match to reach the final bell, and he hopes to be the man standing when the dust settles.
“He’s a really good athlete. I noticed that we have the same style that favors striking. That’s why I believe this will be a good match,” Kelly said.
“I don’t think this match is going to the final bell. We both have power so whoever connects clean first will likely get that KO win.”
In the meantime, ONE Championship returns to Manila for one last time this year with ONE: Masters of Fate on November 8 at the Mall Of Asia Arena.
Get your tickets here and use the code “onewarrior” for a 20% discount.
Or catch all the action downloading the ONE Super App.
