Team Lakay’s Kevin Belingon has better insight than most with regard to a pivotal bantamweight clash slated at ONE on Prime Video 4 in Singapore on November 19.
The former ONE bantamweight titleholder is helping Stephen Loman prepare for the biggest bout of his stablemate’s professional mixed martial arts career yet opposite a high-profile opponent in the form of Bibiano Fernandes, whom Belingon himself shared the cage with on four different occasions.
Loman will be in for a tough night against the Brazilian legend at the 12,000-seater Singapore Indoor Stadium, but Belingon expects the Filipino rising star to be well-prepared for their showdown.
“I truly believe that Stephen is now at the point of his career where he is ready to face top-caliber opposition like Bibiano. He has grown tremendously as an athlete. His battles in the past have shaped him into who he is today,” Belingon told Tiebreaker Times.
“I can attest to his dedication to improving his craft, especially now that he is preparing for a big fight against Bibiano. He has everything covered.”
Loman is evidently at the peak of his prime as a competitor as the 27-year-old Ifugao native hasn’t tasted a single defeat since January 2016.
“The Sniper” is presently riding high on a remarkable ten-match winning streak, that included a four-year dominant reign as the undisputed BRAVE CF bantamweight champion.
Moreover, Loman has put ONE Championship’s 65.8-kilogram weight class on notice with his back-to-back wins over Yusup Saadulaev and Shoko Sato.
While Fernandes has a 29-fight experience and the mental edge of being an ex-longtime division kingpin to boast heading into the encounter, Belingon believes that Loman’s youth will play an integral factor.
“You cannot count out a legend like Bibiano. Bibiano has the experience, and for his age, he is still strong. It’s not going to be a walk in the park for Stephen. However, Stephen is young. That’s his biggest asset. Speed and power, he currently has all of that at his disposal,” Belingon explained.
“I’m confident that Stephen can keep up with whatever Bibiano throws at him.”
Fernandes may be a battle-tested veteran who has seen and done it all throughout his illustrious run, but Belingon warned his old rival that Loman’s punching power may catch him by surprise.
“Bibiano has fought a lot of strikers in his career, but the punches of Stephen could be a problem for him. Stephen’s punches are hard and heavy. He might even knock out Bibiano. That’s a possibility,” Belingon cautioned.
Although many fans and experts feel that the odds are stacked against Loman in the joust with Fernandes, Belingon begs to disagree and suggests that his Team Lakay comrade is more than capable to pull off the upset.
“Our team has come up with the best possible game plan for this fight against Bibiano. As long as Stephen will follow the game plan down to the last detail, I am confident that he will walk away with the victory,” said Belingon, who likewise competes on the undercard of ONE on Prime Vide 4 versus bantamweight debutant Kim Jae Woong.
“It’s going to be an exciting fight, and I think Stephen will win.”
