ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio recognizes that #1-ranked contender Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks is a genuine threat to his position atop the stacked division.
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And he will be wary of what the American upstart brings to the Circle when they meet in a five-round battle for the gold at ONE 164: Pacio vs. Brooks on December 3.
Joshua Pacio believes Jarred Brooks paid his dues to get the title shot
“Jarred earned his spot at the top. He beat a lot of big names, all the guys in the top five,” Pacio said in a recent interview.
“All I can say is that he’s a very dangerous opponent, and this isn’t going to be an easy fight by any means. He’s no walk in the park.”
“The Monkey God’s” dominant performances have given the World Champion a rough idea of what he will be dealing with when they come face-to-face when the promotion returns to The Philippines later this year.
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The Team Lakay standout notes Brooks’ timing and movement as two things he’ll have to look out for.
That said, he also believes that his upcoming opponent has exposed some flaws through his time in the ONE Circle, which he’ll be ready to exploit on December 3.
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“I think it’s going to come down to the scrambles, finding the right timing, and picking my shots. I don’t mind trading with him, but I have to be smart about it,” Pacio said.
“We’re going to come in very comfortable, wait patiently for opportunities, and just fight a smart fight with a good game plan. I have many weapons to knock him out.”
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“The Passion” has already collected 11 wins inside the Circle – against far tougher names than Brooks has faced.
Joshua Pacio has amassed spectacular wins in ONE Championship
The 26-year-old superstar is also on a four-match win streak, most recently knocking out Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta in September last year to defend his gold for the third time.
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This stretch of positive results has given Pacio the confidence to overcome “The Monkey God,” and having a home field advantage will undoubtedly give the Filipino a leg up in the World Title tussle.
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However, only time will tell whether Pacio can back his talk up and triumph past arguably his most formidable test in the promotion so far.
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