Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao believes Danny “The King” Kingad will have his toughest bout yet when he takes on former ONE Flyweight World Champion Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov later this year.
The pair are set to meet in the highly-anticipated semifinal round of the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix. A date and venue have yet to be determined, but the Baguio City-based martial arts squad is already on its toes reviewing Kingad’s next foe.
“Kairat has certainly improved a lot, especially when it comes to his wrestling,” said Sangiao, who prepared Geje Eustaquio for his previous two battles with Akhmetov.
“He’s become a lot tougher and we’ve also seen him outclass Reece McLaren in the striking department of their last fight. This is a different Akhmetov now.”
Kingad was equally impressive in his last outing when he defeated Pancrase Flyweight World Champion Senzo Ikeda via unanimous decision in a World Grand Prix quarterfinal bout at ONE: A New Era last March.
The bout showcased Kingad’s continuous growth as a mixed martial artist. He unleashed a wide variety of strikes and utilized his takedowns throughout the course of the three-round match.
Sangiao expects the 23-year-old to have his hands full when it’s time to share the Circle with Akhmetov. He knows that the young phenom is consistently evolving, and that he is capable of overcoming all kinds of challenges.
“I don’t have any problems with Danny because he’s a hard worker,” Sangiao said.
“Every fight, he aims to improve. He really wants to become a champion, and I know in my heart that he’ll go far in this sport.”
The winner of the upcoming Kingad versus Akhmetov match-up will square off against the winner of the match between Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and Tatsumitsu Wada.
Whoever wins the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix has a guaranteed shot at the ONE Flyweight World Title, currently held by Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes.
