“It’s something that I hope to be” - Filipino star Danny Kingad channels his parents’ dogged determination in fighting career
Danny Kingad explained how his parent's work ethic has positively affected his life.
Kingad made his ONE Championship debut in April 2016, starting with three consecutive wins. Since then, the Filipino superstar has maintained a strong presence in the ONE strawweight MMA division, establishing an 11-4 record to place him at the number three ranking.
Kingad's success in MMA has been a product of his upbringing, which features two hardworking parents. The 29-year-old explained how their work ethic affected him by saying this during an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda:
"The hard work [is the characteristic I most want to emulate]. My parents have always been hard workers, and it’s something I always keep in mind when providing for my family."
Kingad followed up by saying:
“I’ve seen how my mother supported us through the years, and it’s something that I hope to be for my family.”
In January, Danny Kingad suffered a unanimous decision defeat against Yuya Wakamatsu at ONE 165. The recent meeting was the second time the flyweight fought, with Kingad securing a unanimous decision in September 2018.
Luckily for Kingad, he has a massive opportunity to get back on track and potentially fight for ONE gold in the near future.
What's next for Danny Kingad in ONE Championship?
At ONE 168, Demetrious Johnson made a special appearance and officially announced his retirement from MMA. As a result, the ONE flyweight MMA division has started a new chapter featuring several top contenders looking to take the vacant crown.
On November 8, number three-ranked Danny Kingad will face former 8x world champion Adriano Moraes at ONE 169. Moraes last fought in May, losing a trilogy bout against the legendary Johnson in the latter's final fight.
Moraes and Kingad fought for the first time in November 2017. Kingad now looks to avenge his first-round submission loss in their upcoming rematch.
ONE 169 was supposed to be the promotion's second 2024 event in North America. Instead, the promotion has moved the upcoming spectacle featuring three world title fights to the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The November 8 event featuring Moraes vs. Kingad can be seen live and for free by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.