 |
| Honorio Banario will still not face Eduard Folayang even if a chance to battle Martin Nguyen is at stake. |
By Ivan Saldajeno
MANILA--Ever since he moved up a weight level, Honorio Banario is now on a roll.
The former One featherweight champion has now won his last five fights as a lightweight, setting him up in a good position to go after Martin Nguyen's 170-pound belt.
However, Team Lakay comrade Eduard Folayang is also in a good position to reclaim the lightweight title he lost to Nguyen last November in Pasay after posting back-to-back wins in his comeback trail.
It could only mean one thing: Banario and Folayang may need to lock horns for the right to challenge Nguyen.
But Banario insisted that a showdown against Folayang, despite the existence of a huge stipulation, will never happen at all.
"We are brothers," Banario simply explained.
He even added that not even One's demands can force him to fight Folayang.
"If One Championship says that I will have to face Eduard, I still wouldn’t fight him," Banario continued.
He also said that he is somehow fed up already with the growing queries on whether a match between them will be possible.
"That question keeps coming up. Why would I go up against someone who I consider to be my family?" Banario rued. "We already test each other all the time during practice. I believe there’s no need for us to go against each other inside the ring or the cage."
He then took the time to thank his fellow MMA veteran who helped shape his career right now.
"He has helped me a lot to get to where I am today. I would not be here without his help and his guidance," Banario continued.
Banario guns for his sixth straight win against Singapore's Amir Khan in the co-main event of One: Beyond the Horizons on Saturday night in Shanghai.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
He even added that not even One's demands can force him to fight Folayang.
"If One Championship says that I will have to face Eduard, I still wouldn’t fight him," Banario continued.
He also said that he is somehow fed up already with the growing queries on whether a match between them will be possible.
"That question keeps coming up. Why would I go up against someone who I consider to be my family?" Banario rued. "We already test each other all the time during practice. I believe there’s no need for us to go against each other inside the ring or the cage."
He then took the time to thank his fellow MMA veteran who helped shape his career right now.
"He has helped me a lot to get to where I am today. I would not be here without his help and his guidance," Banario continued.
Banario guns for his sixth straight win against Singapore's Amir Khan in the co-main event of One: Beyond the Horizons on Saturday night in Shanghai.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
.JPG)
.jpg)
