After edging out Muhammad Alman last April, Danny Kingad has been scrabbling to get an opportunity to return to the ONE Championship cage. But he has twice been denied, as his supposed bout with Hexigetu was scrapped last July and again in August.
When an opportunity of a lifetime came knocking in last October, the hungry 21-year-old could not resist. A contract to face ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes was waiting to be signed.
“Pakiramdam ko talaga medyo nakabahan ako, kasi nung sinabi nila na si Moraes yung makakalaban ko, nag-isip-isip ako, pero walang sawang training pa din,” recalled Kingad.
Once he regained his bearings, Kingad quickly signed on the dotted line. Kingad, a seven-fight veteran, will take on six-year pro Adriano Moraes in Manila on Friday, November 10.
Though vastly falling behind in the experience department compared to the Brazilian, Kingad is finding solace that his veteran teammates in Team Lakay have locked in to prepare him for the biggest fight of his life.
“Mga binigay talaga nila sa akin na advice yung paano mo palakasin yung loob mo para hindi talaga matatalo yung isip mo, lalong-lalo na si Coach Mark [Sangiao] tsaka si Coach Eduard [Folayang],” shared Kingad, who is still finishing his studies at the University of the Cordilleras.
“Sila talaga yung nagbigay sa akin ng chance na lumaban dito and sila yung nagbigay ng chance na palakasin yung loob ko.”
But Kingad knows that once the cage door shuts, it will be all up to him to find a way to be the third fighter to beat Moraes. And with the sessions he has survived, Kingad feels that he is ready for the bright lights.
“Siyempre excited para makuha natin yung belt na yun. Well prepared naman ako, emotionally, tapos physically,” Kingad expressed.
“Ready na ako talaga, one-hundred percent.”
And he plans to give the performance of his life, just as Folayang had done a year ago, because he knows that this fight will change his life for the better.
“Yun lang yung I think na nag-champion ako, may next page sa life ko,” Team Lakay’s young gun said.
“If ever na mag-champion ako, mag-iiba yung life ko, nandun na sa high level.”
