“Why give up now?” – Lito Adiwang admits quitting was on his mind before he turned the tide in 2023

Lito Adiwang produced one of the best stories of the year in 2023 when he made his long-awaited return to the circle at long last.

Coming back with a vengeance, ‘Thunder Kid’ secured back-to-back wins to close out the year and reestablish his status as a legitimate contender in the strawweight division.

With his long recovery process from a potentially career-ending injury now behind him, he can reflect on that experience and take lessons from it.

What makes Lito Adiwang’s comeback even more impressive is that it looked out of the question for a moment in time. The Filipino contender had moments where he doubted that he would ever make a return to competition.

Now that he is back and firing on all cylinders, he spoke to ONE Championship about those moments of doubt that clouded his mind at some points during his long layoff:

“Then again I thought to myself, this is what I do best. This is my career. My life. I didn’t finish my studies, I have no other businesses, and all my life I’ve been building this career, so why give up now?”

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Lito Adiwang now has a huge 2024 ahead of him

2022 was a very difficult year for Lito Adiwang after suffering an injury in March that would keep him out of action for the remainder of the year and the majority of 2023.

Everything changed last September when he made his return to the circle and gave himself a light at the end of the tunnel by proving that he had made it back to where he once was.

Defeating Jeremy Miado in a rematch to close out the year, the next 12 months could be career-defining for ‘Thunder Kid’.

Another big win could solidify his run at the strawweight title as this remarkable comeback story continues to add more chapters to its story.