ONE Chairman: 'Folayang is hungrier than ever, his career hanging in the balance'

SINGAPORE- ONE Championship chairman Chatri Sityodtong believes that former ONE lightweight champion Eduard Folayang is in a make or break situation when he returns to the cage against Kharun Atlangeriev on the undercard of 'ONE: Unstoppable Dreams' on May 18 at the Indoor Stadium in Singapore.

"Eduard had a long rest so I think it's been great for him," said Sityodtong. "When I speak to him he's more hungrier than ever, it's like a 21-year-old Eduard. He is so hungry, he worked so hard, I believe we're going to see the best Eduard ever on May 18."

Folayang last saw action this past November when he yielded his then ONE lightweight title to Martin Nguyen.

Six months since that fateful evening, Sityodtong says that Folayang could either get another shot at the lightweight title or continue to go on a downward spiral depending on his performance on fight night.

"He's fighting a very tough Russian wrestler who's undefeated (11-0) so it's going to be the fight of his life too. He's going to need the Philippines to back him and cheer for him because Eduard needs to be at his best," told Sityodtong.

"If he's able to pull a win impressively then he's back, but if he loses then obviously it's a downward skid for him. This is a high stakes fight for Eduard, I would say his career is hanging in the balance." — BAP, GMA News