Amir Khan Breaks Down "Biggest Advantage" Over Eduard Folayang

For the past four years, Amir Khan has dreamt of the moment when he would finally have the opportunity to compete for a ONE Championship World Title.

At ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS on 23 November from the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines the 24-year old Evolve representative will finally get his chance when he battles Eduard “The Landslide” Folayang to crown a new lightweight king.

Khan has literally grown up competing on the biggest stage in martial arts, and now he feels it is his time to become a World Champion.

“I was super stoked and obviously excited. This is what I’ve been working towards – to get the title shot,” Khan says.

“It’s proof to everyone that I’ll become a World Champion like I said. I feel like I’m ready right now.”

During his career, Khan has faced some of the best athletes in the lightweight division, and though he has suffered a couple of setbacks along the way, he has used every experience as a way to learn and further his martial arts journey.

His most recent victory was a win over Team Lakay’s Honorio “The Rock” Banario in September, and it earned him the title shot.

It was a statement performance as Khan – best known for his powerful striking – was able to put Banario away in the opening round via submission. 

It was an outcome he credits a new leader at his gym for.

“For the last two or three years at Evolve we didn’t have a head coach,” Khan explains.

“As training partners, we just led each other’s sessions, and we helped each other along the way.

“Before the last fight against Banario, we finally got a new head coach, Eduardo Pamplona. He brings the whole team together, and he really pushed me to the limit. I’ve never trained so hard in my entire life.

“We are good as a team, and we help each other, but we need someone there to push us. I think that’s a key reason why I’ve performed really well and I’m so confident going into this fight.”

Beating Banario was also a chance to send a message to his teammate, Folayang, who will attempt to become a two-time ONE Lightweight World Champion in his native Philippines.

“I think it’s a really interesting story because I beat his teammate,” Khan says.

“They are similar fighters, and I feel like Eduard Folayang is just a slightly better version of Banario.

“Obviously, Eduard Folayang wants to get revenge for his teammate for the loss. I think it will bring the best out of him and I know it will bring the best out of me.”

Thanks to his experience against another top athlete from Team Lakay, Khan believes he saw a lot the same weapons Folayang will bring to the table against “The Rock.”

Khan knows the biggest danger when facing a striker like Folayang is standing in front of him – within range of his powerful kicks and punches.

As long as his defense is sound, he says he will give “The Landslide” a puzzle he will not be able to solve because he has no idea what will be coming at him.

“I feel my biggest advantage is my ability to mix everything up together. He will be guessing my every move,” Khan says.

“I feel that’s my biggest advantage in this fight. I know he won’t be taking me down, I know he wants to keep his mid-range kicks, and he wants me to be the aggressor to time his spinning attacks.

“The thing is, he does not know what I’m going to do. I might strike with him, I might take him down. I’m going to mix it up. This round I might put pressure on for the takedowns, the next round I might work more on my boxing.

“I feel it’s hard to prepare for me for this fight. He won’t be expecting what I’m going to do.”

One more factor that Khan will have to deal with on 23 November is a deafening crowd in Manila that will be on Folayang’s side.

As intimidating as that might be for some contenders, Khan actually embraces it and believes he will have the Philippines crowd on his side by the end of the night to celebrate the victory.

“I feel this is just a challenge for me. A challenge to get the belt [in front of] his home crowd,” Khan says.

“I feel I will win his fans over. I take it all as a challenge, and I think it will help me grow as a martial artist. I’m excited for it.”