Honorio “The Rock” Banario may have lost in the ring last Friday, 2 August, but what many did not know is that the former ONE Featherweight World Champion received an even bigger reward beforehand.
At exactly 2:02pm at Pines City Doctor’s Hospital in Baguio City, nearly six hours before Banario’s match with South Korean “Crazy Dog” Dae Sung Park at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES, his wife Jessica gave birth to their first-born son, Zeus Thorinstone.
Used to the feeling of being pressured and handling stress every time he competes, Banario admitted that the last 24 hours before he stepped inside the ring with Park were a new territory.
“To be honest, I was really stressed the night before, I was really thinking about my wife and baby, I could not sleep,” Banario admitted.
“Around lunch time before we went to the arena from the hotel, one of my siblings messaged me that my baby is already delivered safely. That’s when I began to relax.”
Banario shared that it was the first time he felt those things, considering he has never been a father before.
However, Banario is holding no excuses with the losses knowing he did everything he could against Park.
“This is my first time, so it’s really unchartered territory for me. I wasn’t even thinking of my fight anymore, but I guess that’s the feeling of being a dad for the first time,” Banario shared.
“For me, I thought I performed well. Of course, the loss was a bitter pill to swallow but no excuses, I fought until the end.”
It was a back and forth battle between the two lightweight warriors. But the South Korean established his offense in all three rounds, landing significant strikes and maintaining control of the bout until the final bell.
Banario also tipped his hat off to his South Korean foe for coming in well prepared.
“He really prepared well. He was able to read my movements and he was able to create his distance,” Banario shared.
Despite failing to capture his first win inside The Home of Martial Arts in 2019, “The Rock” still feels like a winner, now that he has already has his “Stone,” as he fondly calls his son.
“I might have not been able to win, but I still feel like a winner cause my son is with me now,” Banario said.
“Now I just have to work on my game even further. Now it’s back to the gym and focusing on my next match.”
Tune in to watch ONE Championship’s next event, ONE: DREAMS OF GOLD, by downloading the ONE Super App. The action starts Friday, 16 August at 6:30 p.m. local time.