Islay Bomogao, the first homegrown Filipino Muay Thai fighter in ONE Championship, is eager to show what she's got in the sport’s biggest stage.
ONE Championship’s first homegrown Filipino Muay Thai fighter Islay Bomogao is ready to make waves as she competes in the sport’s grandest stadium at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand next week.
Having made waves in the amateur scene and with the national team, Bomogao now gets to represent her country in the Singapore promotion’s stage at ONE Friday Fights 86 on November 8.
Setting herself up for a catchweight bout against Fuu to begin her Muay Thai career with ONE Championship, she said that she’s ready to compete at the best of her ability.
“So far, yung preparation po naman namin is looking good. Kung sa weight naman po, wala naman akong problema sa weight. Yung training naman po, yung coaches ko po gumawa po sila ng solid na training program.” Bomogao told One Sports.
“I feel good about it naman po. Tinutulungan po ko ng mga teammates ko. Sila po yung nagiging sparring partner ko. Nagpapabugbog pa po sila sa akin. Wala naman po akong mga injuries so that's good. Nutrition is nice. I feel strong. Ready po ako.” she added.
Apart from becoming the first homegrown Filipina athlete to compete in Muay Thai in ONE Championship, Bomogao also has a rare opportunity for herself to have a fight in the iconic Thailand stadium.
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Understanding just how important the venue is to her sport, she believes that simply being there to compete in the sport that she loves is already an honor in itself.
“To think na lalaban ko sa Lumpinee Stadium. Super, super, super, super happy po. Kasi yun nga po, ako na naman po 'yung pinaka-first na Filipina na lalaban sa ONE [sa] Lumpinee.” said the Cordilleran.
“And sa mga Muay Thai players, mga Muay Thai enthusiasts, alam po namin na yung pinaka-pinaka prestigious po talaga na place na kung saan ka pwedeng maglaro ng Muay Thai is Lumpinee.”
As for what she wants to be able to achieve in ONE Championship, Bomogao is continuing to hope that the SIngapore promotion develops a new division for her weight class.
Bomogao is currently the No. 1 Muay Thai fighter in the 45-kilogram division. But the lowest division in ONE Championship, atomweight, is for over-105 lbs and under-115 lbs — meaning she’ll have to move up a weight class if she wants to compete.
Still, the multi-titled Muay Thai fighter wants to show ONE Championship what she’s got.
“Tutal, andito na po ako sa ONE Championship, why not be ambitious po, dream big. So, if ever po mag-open po yung ONE Championship… Officially open ng lower weight division, [para sa] 45 kilograms, I don't know what they're going to call the division, but I hope po to get the belt someday, if they open a division,” she said.
Apart from Bomogao, Filipinos Carlos Alvarez and Fritz Biagtan will also be competing in the same card.