Islay Erika Bomogao is raring to go again after a victorious debut in the ONE Champonship Muay Thai circuit.
Islay Erika Bomogao described her transition to ONE Championship as a bit “weird” and “awkward,” especially because it was the first time she put on four-ounce gloves for Muay Thai.
Still, that didn’t stop her from shining on the biggest stage the sport has ever known. She dominated Japan’s Fuu in their 100-pound catchweight bout at ONE Friday Fights 86 inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, last November 8, scoring a unanimous decision win.
Coming in as one of the biggest amateur Muay Thai stars from the Philippines, it took some time for Bomogao to get used to the new style. But once she got a feel for it, all that awkwardness went away.
“It’s weird. Coming from an amateur background since I was 16, I was competing with headgear, competing with 10-ounce gloves. I had a body vest on when I was a junior fighter,” she said.
“When I put on four-ounce gloves for the first time, it was awkward. I was excited, but there was definitely unease at first. I was thinking, ‘[The gloves] are so small, and of course it would be nice if I landed a punch using these gloves, but what if I’m the one on the receiving end?’
“But as time passed, I felt like I was able to adjust, and [when] I got hit, I realized it doesn’t hurt that much.”
(Islay Bomogao victorious in her ONE Championship debut)
There was plenty of talk surrounding Bomogao’s debut, making her one of the Philippines’ most hyped rising stars to enter the ONE Friday Fights circuit.
But instead of being blinded by the bright lights, she maximized her time under the spotlight and made the most of her introduction.
“I love the spotlight. I love the loud people. Everyone [in the stadium] was very excited, everyone was happy. I felt happy and everyone was really warm,” she said.
Now that she has got a feel for what it’s like to compete inside the famed Lumpinee Stadium, Bomogao wants more, and she wants it soon.
“You guys tell me,” Bomogao responded when asked in the post-match press conference about her next fight.
“I wish to compete here again. I promise I will continue to train. I will wait for more opportunities.”