MMA

Lito Adiwang returns to action in January

Hard-hitting strawweight Lito Adiwang of Baguio City’s Team Lakay is slated to return to action when he takes on the unbeaten Mansur Malachiev on the undercard of ONE on Prime Video 6 on January 14 at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

Adiwang, 13-5 as a pro, is coming off two straight defeats and lost his last outing to Jeremy Miado last March via technical knockout after he suffered an ACL injury during the fight. Rested and recovered thanks to therapy, Adiwang is ready to go back to his winning ways next month.

“The desire to win this fight is one hundred percent. The monster in me has awakened again after all the pain and trials plus the losses of my teammates. I am coming to this fight with a bulletproof mindset,” Adiwang said.

Taking with him the memories of his father, who passed away last October, Adiwang vowed to leave no stone unturned in his attempt to give Malachiev his first defeat in hopes of getting a world title shot down the line.

“With back-to-back trials in my career and life, tasting defeats in the game, injury and losses in life, it's painful and demoralizing that I reached my breaking point. If I sank into these emotional and painful feelings it can be my downfall,” Adiwang said.

“I just need to hold my head up high, collect and compose myself, and hold on to my belief that God put me here for a reason. I still have a purpose to fulfill and one is to become a champion in this career.”

—JMB, GMA Integrated News