At A Glance
- Islay Erika Bomogao proved she is more than just a charming rising star, punching her ticket to ONE Championship with a stunning knockout victory over hometown fighter Klinphaka Por Thaisong in their atomweight Muay Thai bout at ONE Friday Fights 164 on Friday, Aug. 1, at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
Islay Erika Bomogao (ONE Championship)
Bomogao went toe-to-toe with her Thai rival through the opening two rounds before finishing in emphatic fashion, delivering a crushing right hook that landed on Thaisong's jaw in the third and final round to seal the knockout with 2:48 remaining.
The 25-year-old Team Bagsik standout stayed unbeaten at 5-0, while handing Thaisong her first defeat to drop to 1-1.
The victory marked Bomogao's third knockout in five professional wins and earned the Baguio City native a coveted ONE Championship contract worth $100,000 (around P6.1 million), along with a THB350,000 (about P641,000) performance bonus.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m just really happy and thankful. Thank you so much to everybody who has been part of my journey, especially my team,” an emotional Bomogao said.
The Southeast Asian Games Muay Thai champion added patience was the key to breaking down her opponent.
“I didn’t want to rush things. In the first and second rounds, I was trying to measure her,” Bomogao said.
“My coaches told me to throw the straight hand, then get out of the way. I let my right hand go, and she went down,” she added.