Gina “Conviction” Iniong hopes her recent string of success continues into 2020.
Iniong checks into the new year full of confidence after a fruitful 2019. She will test herself early when she battles Asha “Knockout Queen” Roka at ONE: Fire and Fury on January 31 at the Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.
Iniong won her lone match in ONE Championship last year when she scored a split decision win over Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan at ONE: Clash of Legends last February.
Her success in the Circle also spilled over to her duties as a national athlete, with her taking home a gold medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games for kickboxing.
Now it is on to new challenges this year.
“I am very excited to compete here in this country. It’s been a while since I competed here, so this is such a huge opportunity for me,” Iniong said.
“2019 has been very good for me. I won in Bangkok and I took home the gold in the SEA Games. Right now, this is a very important match for me because I want to keep on my momentum for 2020.”
Asked about her Indian opponent, Iniong exhumed excitement, since she believes they can give the fans a good show in Manila.
Roka’s moniker – “Knockout Queen” – is not just a nickname, though — she actually lives up to it.
The 21-year-old Indian National Boxing Champion has finished all four of her wins in her young career.
And Iniong expects Roka to come in with a chip on her shoulder, especially since she lost to two-sport World Champion Stamp Fairtex last August in her promotional debut.
“Asha Roka is a very talented athlete. She’s a very good striker, which I know will be her main weapon in this match,” Iniong said. “For sure she’s hungry for her first win in ONE and to get back to the winning column after that loss to Stamp Fairtex.
“I expect this to be a very good match on January 31.”
A win here could put her back in contention for the ONE Atomweight World Title currently held by “Unstoppable” Angela Lee.
A crack at the atomweight queen has no doubt been on her mind, but she insists her focus is now on this match alone.
“I am still hoping for a shot at the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Title in the future, but I’ll take it one match at a time,” Iniong said.
“I’ve been very vocal about my dream of being a World Champion, and it starts with hard training. Each win brings me closer to my dream.”
Will Iniong bring her winning ways to the new year? Find out when she takes on Roka at ONE: FIRE & FURY on January 31 at the Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.
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