Eduard Folayang outclasses Amir Khan to win ONE lightweight title

PASAY - The face of Philippine MMA Eduard Folayang is the ONE lightweight world champion once again following a highly dominant performance en route to a unanimous decision nod over Amir Khan in the co-main event of "ONE: Conquest of Champions" Friday night at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

Folayang and Khan gauged each other with leg kicks as they fought outside the striking range in the opening round. Folayang turned out to be the aggressor as he lunged in with punches and kicks which Khan tried to counter with his right hand.

Folayang raised the tempo with his trademark kicks in round two. A failed flying knee from Khan allowed Folayang to slam his foe to the ground then followed it up with punches. A series of spinning attacks also left the young Singaporean bloodied at the end of the round.

Eduard Folayang puts on a stellar striking display against Amir Khan, clinching a unanimous decision victory and reclaiming the ONE Lightweight World Title! #WeAreONE #ConquestOfChampions #Manila #MartialArts pic.twitter.com/HDjyeEA1oI

— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) November 23, 2018

Khan showed signs of exhaustion in round three while Folayang looked fresh while pressing forward. An outclassed Khan tried to take the fight to the ground in round 4, but Folayang had an answer to each and everything he tried for the next five minutes.

Knowing he was well behind in the scorecards, Khan pushed the pace in the fifth and final round. Folayang circled around the cage as he unleashed calculated punches and kicks that landed cleanly on his foe.

All three judges scored the fight for Folayang. He took home the vacant ONE lightweight world title and improved his record to 21-6. — DVM, GMA News