In a showdown that had Filipino fight fans on the edge of their seats, Lito Adiwang managed to secure sweet retribution against his compatriot Jeremy Miado in their highly-anticipated strawweight rematch.
Both men faced each other for the second time on the undercard of ONE Fight Night 16 on November 4.
What transpired at the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand was nothing short of exhilarating.
This second encounter had been a long time coming as their initial meeting in March 2022 ended in heartbreak for Adiwang. Miado emerged victorious due to a stoppage after “Thunder Kid” suffered a knee injury in the second round.
The loss weighed heavily on Adiwang’s mind, and he was determined to even the score.
(C) ONEFC.com
From the opening bell, the 30-year-old Baguio City native established his rhythm early. He began the bout by landing leg kicks and darting in with counterpunches.
A pivotal moment came soon afterward when Adiwang unleashed a devastating left hook that sent Miado to the canvas.
His moment of dominance continued as he managed to take Miado down to the ground. However, he made a strategic decision to let his opponent get back up, opting to prove his superiority in the stand-up department.
As the first round progressed, Miado found his groove, landing a jumping knee and putting together a striking combination that opened a small cut around Adiwang’s right eye.
The two strawweights traded heavy leather in the final minute of the round, with Adiwang delivering a memorable spinning back elbow with just 40 seconds left on the clock.
The second stanza saw Adiwang picking up where he left off, demonstrating his ability to get in and out with his attacks.
Despite Miado’s edge in reach, Adiwang displayed his exceptional agility, maneuvering his way inside and landing solid right hands.
Adiwang’s punishing leg kicks took center stage in the third round, forcing Miado to switch from orthodox to southpaw to protect his lead leg, which had accumulated significant damage.
With the matchup nearing its conclusion, Miado began to swing for the fences in a desperate attempt to turn the tide.
In the closing moments, Adiwang and Miado engaged in a slugfest, exchanging thunderous blows until the final bell rang.
(C) ONEFC.com
When the dust settled, it was clear that Lito Adiwang had done enough to earn his payback. The judges awarded him a unanimous decision victory, and the elation on Adiwang’s face spoke volumes.
“I know I’m a bit ahead. You saw my fights, I end my fights quick, but I’m happy that I got this finally. This fight is for all the fans who wanted to see the rematch,” Adiwang said in his post-fight interview with Mitch Chilson. “I think we showed that this is the ending and I won that fight.”
With the impressive performance at Miado’s expense, Adiwang clinched his second-straight win and improved his professional record to 15-5.
Meanwhile, Miado incurred his second consecutive defeat, dropping to a 12-6 slate.
