With less than 72 hours before the biggest card in ONE Championship history commences, Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao is confident that former ONE Flyweight World Title contender Danny "The King" Kingad is well-equipped for his ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix match-up.
The 23-year-old Baguio City native is set to face Pancrase Flyweight World Champion Senzo Ikeda in the tournament quarter-finals, which is set for ONE: A NEW ERA on Sunday at the iconic Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.
Sangiao was left in awe with how Kingad prepared himself for this match physically, even to the point where he compared his young warrior to "an animal" with the way he works.
“Danny has really worked hard for this. You can see it in training. His conditioning is top-notch,” the 39-year-old mentor says.
"He really wants to stand and trade. Back [in September], he got clipped by Yuya [Wakamatsu], but the kid is very hungry — that’s why he recovers well. If you see his work ethic, he’s amazing. He’s an animal."
Like Kingad, Sangiao is not too concerned about the recent change in opponents.
Though “The King” was given a short-notice replacement two weeks ago, the team’s preparation allows him to adjust quickly to whichever adversary he faces.
Also, the Team Lakay head coach is not worried about Ikeda’s striking, but acknowledges they’ll have to find a way to cut the distance against Kingad’s taller rival.
"Our preparation back then was for a wrestler, but Danny doesn't have a hard time adjusting because he's a complete fighter,” Sangiao shares.
"Senzo is tall and he's a good striker. I don't see him as a boxer, but he knows how to use his distance. That's what we're preparing for. If we’re talking about boxing alone, I think Filipinos are better.”
Ultimately, Sangiao does not believe this match will go to the judges’ scorecards.
The Team Lakay mastermind knows both athletes love to throw strikes, and he expects an exciting stoppage.
“Let’s expect some good finishes,” Sangiao says. "I predict a good fight. I feel [like there will be] a finish because they’re both strikers. They’re both very durable, and I think it’s going to be a good bout."