It has been six months since ONE strawweight world champion Joshua Pacio has competed inside the circle. But during his time off, he became a motivator for his fellow Team Lakay fighters.
Aside from sharing his time and wisdom with his fellow fighters, Pacio has kept himself busy by scouring the contenders in his weight class.
“I’ve been watching the bouts of the top five in my division, going to the gym, and doing my assignments for my possible future match,” Pacio said.
The Cordilleran champion paid undivided attention to the match between top-ranked Bokang Masunyane and second-ranked Jarred Brooks on April 22. After all, the winner of that fight will face him for his world title.
But even if the showdown between him and this fight’s winner would not happen for a few more months, Pacio already knows the tendencies of both competitors, and he will be ready regardless of who he encounters next.
“Bokang and Brooks have this similar style. They want to control their opponents and punish them,” the wushu specialist said.
“My team and I are preparing for every scenario inside the circle. I’m giving all my effort to leveling up my wrestling and sharpening all my tools,” he added.
The Masunyane-Brooks showdown promises to be an explosive one, mainly because the South African carries a perfect 8-0 career mixed martial arts record. On the other hand, the American has dominated Lito Adiwang and Hiroba Minowa in his appearances in ONE Championship.
While both strawweights deserve a title shot, Pacio knows what Masunyane and Brooks bring to every contest. This knowledge may help him defend his crown for the fourth time since regaining it against Yosuke Saruta in 2019.
“I think Bokang’s advantage for this fight is his athleticism. He is a very explosive athlete. Meanwhile, Brooks’ advantage is his experience. He has fought some of the best, and it might be where Bokang will fall short,” Pacio said. – Press release
April 25, 2024
