"I will break his will, finish him late": Yosuke Saruta on Joshua Pacio fight at ONE: Revolution

Former strawweight king Yosuke 'The Ninja' Saruta is heading into his bout with Filipino rival and reigning ONE strawweight world champion Joshua 'The Passion' Pacio full of confidence.

The two top-tier fighters are scheduled to meet in one of three world title contests at the upcoming ONE: Revolution, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, September 24.

It is the third encounter between Saruta and Pacio. Each man has one win over the other, and they will both be looking to settle the score once and for all.

Saruta, currently ranked number one in the division, expects champion Pacio to be as dangerous a foe as ever. But he’s also highly confident his hand will be raised at the end of the fight and will walk out as the new undisputed strawweight king.

“I will break Pacio’s fighting spirit, break his will, and finish him between rounds four and five. That’s my prediction. Whether I knock him out or submit him, I am coming for the finish,” a fired-up Saruta said.

Saruta first met Pacio in 2019, when the Japanese fighter shocked the Team Lakay standout to win a close split decision, lifting the strawweight strap from the Filipino’s shoulders.

The pair met in an immediate rematch just months later, but Pacio was able to reclaim his belt via a spectacular head kick knockout that left Saruta unconscious on the canvas.

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Trilogy match tiebreaker at ONE: Revolution

Saruta feels this all-important rubber match may be quite different since both men have no doubt improved by leaps and bounds since the last time they faced each other in the circle.

“I’ve fought against Pacio twice already, but it was a long time ago. It’s been two-and-a-half years since we met in the circle. To be honest, I cannot imagine how much Pacio has improved. I know he’s a better fighter now, but we don’t know how much he has changed since we haven’t seen him fight in a while,” Saruta said.

That said, Yosuke Saruta stated that he wants to focus on himself in this all-important rubber match and showcase the depth of his skills. Saruta appears extremely confident that he will end up the victor when all is said and done. Of course, that can only be determined once the circle door closes.

Regardless of the result, Saruta says one thing is for sure -- this bout will be one for the fans. The challenger is certain that the upcoming fight will have fans at the edge of their seats and could be a potential 'Fight of the Year'.

ONE: Revolution broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, September 24. In the main event, reigning ONE lightweight world champion Christian 'The Warrior' Lee defends his title against No.3-ranked Ok Rae Yoon.