There’s simply no place like home para sa bagong hirang na ONE Strawweight World Champion na si Joshua “The Passion” Pacio.
Ang pag-uwi ni Pacio ay biglang naging pagdiriwang nang mabawi niya ang kanyang World Title matapos mapatumba si Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta sa co-main event ng ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR sa Mall of Asia Arena sa Manila noong Biyernes, Abril 12.
Ang 23 anyos na tiga Baguio City ay nakapuntos ng knockout victory sa pang-apat na round ng laban nila na nagpadagdag sa overall record niya na 5-0 kapag nakikipaglaban sa harap ng kanyang kababayan.
“They bring a different kind of energy, it gives me courage to hear them and to be honest, I don’t feel tired,” sabi ni Pacio.
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“The feeling is cannot be explained. I don’t know if I would cry out of joy because winning the championship in front of Filipino fans is such an experience.”
Sa kanyang huling apat na laban dito sa bansa bago si Saruta, natalo din niya ang mga nakalaban niya, kasama ang jaw-dropping inverted kimura win laban kay Pongsiri Mitsatit, ang rear naked choke naman kay Ming Qiang Lan at spinning backfist KO sa kapwa Pilipino na si Roy Doliguez.
“I know that even though we’re here in the Philippines, you can’t leave it in the hands of the judges,” sabi ni Pacio.
“If there’s an opportunity to finish, go for it. I saw the opening and it paid off.”
While ecstatic with the win, Pacio was also grateful to Saruta for bringing out the best in him.
Muntik na rin matalo ni Saruta si Pacio sa kanilang unang paghaharap noon sa ONE: ETERNAL GLORY noong Enero kaya binalikan ni Pacio ang kanyang mga estilo upang matalo ulit si Saruta.
Ang pagkakaroon ng lakas ng loob ang isa sa mga inuna ni Pacio at ipinakita niya ito sa kanyang laban.
“This is by far the most challenging match I have ever been into. It taught me that being a champion entails being confident and focused all the time,” sabi ni Pacio.
“It doesn’t matter how long you train, what I’ve learned from the first fight is that if you hesitate, all those preparations will go to waste,” he added. “I wouldn’t have improved if it wasn’t for him."
