Dy says Doliguez doesn’t deserve ONE Championship title shot

Nissi Icasiano

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Dy says Doliguez doesn’t deserve ONE Championship title shot
“It is like ONE FC wants their favorite to win the ONE FC belt easily," says Filipino fighter Rolando Dy of compatriot Roy Doliguez

MANILA, Philippines – Rolando Gabriel Dy expressed his disappointment over ONE Championship’s decision to allow Roy Doliguez to vie for the promotion’s inaugural strawweight title, saying that Doliguez lacks the credentials for the opportunity.

Doliguez faces Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke for the first 115-pound division’s top prize in the co-headliner of the “Warrior’s Quest” card in Singapore on Friday, May 22.

“A championship fight for Doliguez doesn’t make sense. I am not a hater, I am not jealous, and in fact, I will be very proud and happy if he will win the belt of ONE FC. But why a fighter [who has] never fought in one fc, never fought a foreign MMA fighter, and had [a] hard time fighting [Jerome] Wanawan and [Dennis] Salazar will fight for the belt in ONE FC and against ONE FC’s favorite? It doesn’t make sense,” said Dy, the 23-year-old son of former boxing world champion Rolando Navarrete, on his Facebook.

Doliguez (6-1) is a retired professional boxer who captured the WBO Asia Pacific light flyweight belt in September 2002 and unsuccessfully challenged Fernando Montiel for the WBO super flyweight championship in January 2003.

The 33-year-old native of Malungon, Sarangani made the transition to mixed martial arts in 2011 and had his first five bouts under the Universal Reality Combat Championship banner, where he defeated Leo Occena, Alvin Ramirez, Lito Adiwang and Franklin Donglay.

Doliguez joined Pacific Xtreme Combat (PXC) in 2014, edging out Team Lakay’s Jerome Wanawan via split decision in March before settling the score with Dennis Salazar by unanimous verdict eight months later.

ONE formally announced Doliguez’s signing during the “Valor of Champions” event in Manila last April 24.

Filipino fighter Roy Doliguez gets a crack at a ONE Championship title in his first fight for the company. Photo from Doliguez's Facebook profile

On the other hand, Sor Amnuaysirichoke (4-0) is a three-time Lumpinee Muay Thai world champion who has fought in over 300 kickboxing matches.

The 36-year-old “Kru Rong” made his MMA debut in ONE last year, winning his initial four assignments by either knockout or submission.

Battling a Filipino fighter is not new to Sor Amnuaysirichoke as he locked horns with a Pinoy stalwart this past December when he knocked out Rene Catalan with a solid knee in the first round.

(READ: MMA squeezing boxing for popularity in Asia)

Although he does not agree with the opportunity that was given to Doliguez, Dy extended his utmost support to his countryman in the title tilt against the Thai favorite.

“It is like ONE FC wants their favorite to win the ONE FC belt easily. I hope and pray that Doliguez will win this fight, and if he will, it will be one of the biggest upset in Asian MMA history,” he said.

Dy is also booked in a championship clash as he is set to meet Kyle Aguon in a rematch for the PXC bantamweight belt on June 13. – Rappler.com

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