ONE Championship strawweight champion Joshua Pacio (File photo)
MANILA – Current ONE Championship strawweight champion Joshua Pacio on Monday said he is not in favor of House Bill 1526 that seeks to ban minors from engaging in combat sports events.
"This bill kills that chance for us to change and grow starting from our younger years," Pacio said.
He said children should instead be encouraged “to learn martial arts as early as they can”.
“It will surely develop good attitude, most especially self-discipline - that will eventually change this country,” he added.
Pacio said he started martial arts at the age of 11 and it changed his life.
“I think when you do martial arts, it’s not just about punching and kicking but it’s about developing self-discipline and attitude. In fact, when we all learn martial arts, I mean all, from children to adult, regardless of age, I believe that Philippines will improve because we already have that self-discipline that was developed from doing martial arts," the 24-year-old champion said.
Current Brave Combat Federation bantamweight champion Stephen Loman, Pacio's teammate at Team Lakay, echoed his statements.
"Obviously, this will prohibit minors from learning different kinds of combat sports starting at young age and this means they won't be able to evolve their skills, not only physical but also mental and emotional skill when they grow up and become adult,” Loman said.
For his part, Mark Sangiao, Team Lakay's head coach, said leaders should not miss the opportunity to help potential athletes “to be responsible individuals in the future by restricting them to learn and be involved in combat sports at a young age”.
“These kids will 100 percent bring honor to our country in the future. We have no right to take this great vision away from them,” Sangiao said.
Pacio, Loman, and Sangiao are just three of a growing number of martial arts practitioners who opposed the bill as propose by Ako Bicol representatives Alfredo Garbin and Elizaldy Co.
Eyeing Saruta anew
Meanwhile, Pacio bared that he is setting his sights on a potential trilogy battle with Japanese fighter Yosuke Saruta.
While Pacio got the better of Saruta with a knockout win in their second showdown on April 12, 2019 to reclaim the strawweight belt that he lost in their first clash, he believes a third meeting should finally decide who really is the better among them.
"I feel there is some unfinished business there. I’m looking forward to settling that in the Circle," Pacio said.
Saruta is currently the number one ranked strawweight, solidifying it after a win against fellow Japanese Yoshitaka Naito.
"It was a solid performance," Pacio said of Saruta's win.
If sealed, this would be Pacio's third defense of his second stint as strawweight champ, Despite the challenges of the coronavirus disease 2019 which stalled his training a bit, he believes he is ready to battle.
“I am confident I can defend my belt multiple times. Even now, I am still just 24 years old, I’m still getting better every time,” Pacio said. (PNA)
