Belingon battles Fernandes for bantamweight title in One's 2016 opener in Changsha

Justin Ng/One Championship (file photo)
By Ivan Saldajeno

CHANGSHA--Last October, Gilas Pilipinas failed to take the gold in the FIBA Asia Championship in the said city.

On Jan. 23, a Filipino will try to salvage a championship there.

One Championship officially confirmed on Monday an earlier report that Kevin Belingon will be battling for the bantamweight belt against reigning champion Bibiano Fernandes at the MMA promotion's first offering for 2016, the Dynasty of Champions 3 at the Changsha Stadium.

Belingon, a product of the renowned Team Lakay stable, will finally get a chance at stealing the One bantamweight championship from the Brazilian sensation Fernandes, who was a crowd favorite during his fights in the Philippines, where he made his first two successful defenses of his title belt.

Fernandes, who is currently on a ten-game winning streak and is unbeaten in six One Championship matches, came from a knockout win against Toni Tauru at One: Kingdom of Warriors in Yangon on July 18 and will try to keep his belt against Belingon in only his third One-sanctioned fight outside the Philippines.

Tauru actually also has a fight at hand in the said Changsha card as he will take on Muin Gafurov as he begins his quest to re-climb the bantamweight ladder.

Meanwhile, another Filipino, former boxing champion Roy Doliguez, is also scheduled for the fight card as he battles Japanese foe Riku Shibuya to start his own mission to get back to the One strawweight championship picture after losing to titlist Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke.

"This is a great way to start 2016 and is just the tip of the iceberg of what’s to come," One President Victor Cui expressed excitement about the fight.

This event will also be the first fight card where One will implement its new weigh-in scheme in which the fighters will have their official weigh-ins three hours before the start.

In an interview with Fox Sports Asia, Cui hinted that Belingon and Fernandes might settle the score at 145 pounds, a full weight level above the bantamweight limit of 135 due to the new weigh-in procedure that aims to completely eradicate dehydration as a form of weight cutting as a result of the death of Yang Jian Bing last month.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno