Jhanlo “The Machine” Sangiao may see it otherwise, but his father and Team Lakay founder and coach Mark Sangiao sees the upcoming fight against Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu at ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian as an acid test for the prodigy.
“Mate-test siya dito. Itong laban kay Enkh-Orgil ang magsasabi kung gaano ka-ready si Jhanlo to go up sa rankings,” the decorated mentor said ahead of the Aug. 5 clash at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
The younger Sangiao is coming in confident heading into this match as he looks to stay unbeaten through four fights, dismissing his Mongolian opponent as someone “not on his level.”
But this big morale boost could also be attributed to how Team Lakay has prepared him for this upcoming match, one that the elder Sangiao had a big hand on.
“Yung preparation natin, nandoon sa gameplan. Ready na ready na si Jhanlo and hopefully, makuha natin yung panalo,” he said.
Speed certainly is one that favors Sangiao, but the Filipino bet’s camp is also wary of Baatarkhuu’s resilience, something he showed in his fight against Adonis Sevilleno at ONE Friday Fights 13 last April.
“Kay Enkh-Orgil, binabantayan natin yung absorbing niya sa punishment. Malakas siya, may wrestling, at the same time, gusto talagang pa-surrender-in ka. Kaya gumawa tayo ng magandang gameplan para kay Jhanlo,” said the Team Lakay coach.
If Sangiao indeed passes this test, there’s no doubt that more eyes will take notice of the 21-year-old’s capabilities that it might even merit a consideration for the ONE Athlete Rankings for bantamweights.
Yet it’s still a mountain that has yet to be scaled for the Team Lakay ace, and his father is realistic enough to note that it will all depend on how he’ll fare against Baatarkhuu.
“Depende pa rin sa performance niya yan. Nakaka-pressure naman talaga kaya kailangan lang talagang ihanda ng husto si Jhanlo,” he said. “Pero gusto ko laging makita yung improvement dito, kung paano yung magiging performance niya. Kaya sana maganda ang ipakita niya at manalo siya.”
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