Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon did not have an ideal start this 2019, dropping his ONE Bantamweight World Title at ONE Championship’s first blockbuster event in Japan last March.
But his teammates aren’t losing faith in him.
Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly, to be specific, believes that it won’t be long ‘til Belingon gets his belt back.
Belingon will challenge the reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Fernandes at ONE: CENTURY – ONE Championship’s 100th event – at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan on 13 October.
This will be the fourth meeting between the two bantamweight giants after their trilogy ended in a disqualification victory for Fernandes at ONE: A NEW ERA in Tokyo last March.
Despite the unfortunate turn of events for Belingon, Kelly is full of confidence that the 31-year-old Baguio City native will bounce back and bring back the belt in the mountains before the year ends.
“Sure it hurts to see our champion lose but I am happy for Kevin, I can see how that loss affected him in a positive manner,” said Kelly.
“After Japan, he became more dedicated in improving his game. He’s the type of fighter who picks up quickly as he works intensely in training,” he added. “We all know Kevin will face Bibiano again, and we’ve been waiting for this moment.”
Their previous three encounters played out as advertised with both athletes pushing themselves to the limits. It was an all-out war between the two outstanding bantamweights proving that they’re two of the best on the planet.
As Kelly witnessed all the unforgettable showdown between the two martial arts giants, he believes that there are two major keys for Belingon that will lead him in reclaiming his World Title.
“I think it’s still his aggressiveness and explosiveness which will be key. In terms of training, I believe that he’s just merely polishing his skills,” shared Kelly.
Not short on confidence, Kelly believes that Belingon will end this chapter with a resounding victory.
“This is Kevin’s biggest fight. Aside from the World Title, there are a lot of things at stake here as Kevin wants to prove a lot after what happened last year,” said Kelly.
“Kevin will go for a knockout. Kevin will be more aggressive to show that he’s truly the World Champion. He’ll do everything to get a convincing win over Fernandes and bring the belt back to the Philippines.”