LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Team Lakay founder and head coach Mark Sangiao said this week that top bantamweight challenger Stephen Loman will be among the three fighters from his famed stable who will be fighting before the end of the year.
The sad news, however, it will not be for a world title match as they had expected earlier this year.
“Definitely he (Loman) will be fighting but it will not be for a world title,” said the one time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist for wushu sanda.
Loman was called out by ONE bantamweight king Fabricio Andrade after winning the belt during a stoppage victory over John Linneker last February 24 and immediately called on the Lakay fighter.
Loman readily accepted the challenge. But six months after the convincing conclusion of the Andrade – Linneker showdown, no announcement has been made yet if the match will ever take place this year.
Sangiao is taking the apparent turn around of the Brazilian champ’s camp saying the fight will definitely take place anytime soon but definitely not this year.
“Maybe next year,” he said.
Andrade remains in training as he “continues to evolve” but no fight has been announced.
But Sangiao is happy to announce the two of the “Next Generation” Team Lakay warriors will be back in the octagon ring anytime this year .
‘Carlos and Carlo will definitely go back to fight this year,” he said.
He is referring to his new found gems Carlos Alvarez and Carlo Von Bumina-ang.
Alvarez defeated Sadegh Ghasemi last July 14 in the second round using a D’Arce choke for his third straight win.
He forced Reza Abasi to tap out late in the second round via ground and pound last March 24, four years after his debut in Dec. 14, 2019 right before the Covid 19 pandemic struck.
Alvarez was impressive in his debut where he employed a standing guillotine choke on the equally debuting John Farnician in the first round forcing his opponent to tap out.
Bumina-ang, meanwhile had an earth shaking, literaly, start last August 4 on his debut when he made short works of Reza Saede for a knock out win.
The kickboxing veteran who saw action in the last SEAG in Cambodia needed just 52 seconds to end the three round fight.
‘It is what I am telling my fighters that they need a signature killing blow to finish off their opponent and it is what Carlo has,” said Sangiao.
“He is our first fighter whose shoulders are just so hard,” he whispered in Iloko to this writer during an interview at the Team Lakay gym in Puguis here Wednesday.
“And he is one of the new guys and maybe the first Lakay who pack power in his punch,” he added in Iloko.
Sangiao, meanwhile said that two other fighters will also see action this year but was mum on telling who.
“It will be a surprise,” he added with a smirk.
But it could be former flyweight champion Geje Eustaquio who will return to the octagon ring anytime soon.
The University of the Cordilleras wushu coach lost in December 3 last year in a last second first round head kick that saw him tumbling and the fight stopped by the referee.
It could also be triple SEAG kickboxing gold medalist Jean Claude Saclag, who earlier said that we will fight in both amateur and professional level.
“ I will stay with the national team and will play in mixed martial arts,” he said earlier in a separate interview. Pigeon Lobien
