Joshua Pacio inspired by teammates' success ahead of upcoming fight

MANILA - Young phenom and one-time world title challenger Joshua Pacio of Team Lakay has all the inspiration he needs ahead of his upcoming fight against Thailand's Pongsiri Mitsatit on the undercard of "ONE: Reign of Kings" on July 27 at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

Pacio, 22, trains alongside former ONE featherweight champion Honorio Banario, former lightweight title holder Eduard Folayang, and current undisputed ONE flyweight champion Geje Eustaquio.

He is taking a Hotel and Restaurant Management course at the University of Cordilleras, and has himself challenged for a world title a couple of years ago in a fight that showcased the abilities which could make him a future world champion. A crucial mistake in the third round, however, caused him to get submitted with a rear-naked choke.

"I am inspired and amazed with the things going on around me. Kuya Geje (Eustaquio) just won the flyweight world title, and now kuya Kevin (Belingon) is going to be fighting for the bantamweight title. This has lit a spark inside of me and now I am more energized in training. I want to be where they are now," said Pacio.

"It’s up to ONE Championship when I will fight for the title again, but I will happily take my time developing my skills correctly. I’m learning and growing and gaining more experience with each passing bout. I can feel myself getting stronger and better. I can see the improvements in my performances. As a martial artist, this is why I work so hard."

Pacio's upcoming opponent, Mitsatit, is a young prizefighter as well, with an unbeaten record of 9-0. The Thai has managed to finish 8 of his 9 opponents, and Pacio was well aware of what his foe could bring to the table.

"This bout, as is any, is honestly very important to me. He is obviously a very good striker given his Muay Thai background, but what makes him dangerous is that he is very well-rounded. His wrestling and grappling is also on a high level. We match up quite well," says Pacio.

"Every discipline has its own beauty, whether it’s wushu, Muay Thai, or Brazilian jiu-jitsu. I embrace all styles. I am a student of all arts. The winner of this bout will go to who can mix it up better. I’m excited to test my skills against a worthy opponent in Pongsiri Mitsatit." — DVM, GMA News