REVENGE was the last thing on Kevin Belingon’s mind after defeating Toni Tauru during One Championship’s Kings of Destiny at the jam packed Mall of Asia Arena.
Belingon made Tauro pay after both fighters engaged in a striking battle in the first round with the Ifugao fighter emerging victorious via verbal tapout with 2:27 remaining in the first round.
“It was not revenge. I just executed my game plan and gave the fans a good fight,” said Belingon when asked if his victory was to avenge the loss of fellow Team Lakay fighter Geje Eustaquio who previously lost to Tauro December last year.
Belingon swarmed the Finnish kickboxing sensation with a relentless barrage of attacks to earn his 15th victory in 20 fights.
Tauru, the taller fighter by over 10cm, used his length to keep Belingon at range but it did not became a problem for the Team Lakay striker with his barrage of thunderous lefts and rights.
With the victory, Belingon once again stated his case for another rematch against reigning bantamweight champion Bibiano Fernandez in 2016.
Belingon also scored his second back to back victory in ONE where he stopped Yusp Saadulev and Than Vu in 2012 and 2013 respectively but lost to Masakatsu Ueda but bounced back to defeat David Aranda.
The 29 - year - old former title contender then had a roller coaster career as he lost to Dae Hwan Kim, won against Koetsu Okazaki and losing to bantamweight king Fernandes after more than one year hiatus.
Prior to his bout against Tauru, Belingon stressed if the opportunity to score a finish presents itself, he will not think twice to grab it.
“Of course, I want that finish. I am always looking for that. If there’s an opening to get the knockout or submission, I will go for that in a split second,” he said.
In his last bout, Belingon shied away from his relentless fighting style and resorted to a more tactical approach to get a unanimous decision win over Muin Gafurov last October.
Belingon stressed he was seeking an emphatic triumph over Gafurov, but the strategic nature of the bout did not give him the chance to do so.
