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Defending title in home nation a motivation for Folayang


By Ivan Saldajeno

MAKATI--It has been three years since Eduard Folayang last fought in front of his fellow Filipinos.

For him, it is already an eternity.

"Mahaba yung panahon na nawala ako sa paglalaro dito sa Pilipinas," Folayang told reporters in a pocket press conference at the Top of the Citi Restaurant inside the Citibank Tower on Thursday ahead of his first match back home within the said time frame, his upcoming showdown with Ev Ting on April 21 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

However, he is happy that he will not just be part of One: Kings of Destiny, but as well headline it as he is set to defend his One lightweight belt against the Malaysian challenger.

[Related Story: Folayang to defend belt against Ting as One returns to MOA Arena]

"I came back not as [part of the] co-main event but the main event itself. It feels good, and it means a lot of motivation for me," continued Folayang.

But he also said that the pressure to defend the belt in front of the home crowd remains.

"Di naman mawawala ang pressure especially na dito sa Pilipinas gaganapin [ang title defense]," he continued.

Folayang, however, assured that there will be no repeat of what happened to his fellow Team Lakay member Honorio Banario, who not just lost the One featherweight title to Koji Oishi during the former's title defense at the said venue on May 31, 2013 but also failed to reclaim it in the rematch also at MOA Arena seven months later.

"We learned our lessons from the past," Folayang vowed.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno