Nguyen to chase 3rd ONE title vs. Fernandes in March

Why settle for two belts when you can have three?

Reigning two-division champion Martin Nguyen will look to add a third ONE title to his trophy case when he challenges bantamweight king Bibiano Fernandes at Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand on March 24, promotional CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced this week.

Sityodtong revealed the pair had already agreed to meet with Fernandes' strap on the line this past month, but hadn't hammered out a date at the time.

Nguyen KO'd Marat Gafurov in a rematch to capture the ONE featherweight title this past August before becoming the Asian outfit's first two-division king by handing Eduard Folayang the same fate in a lightweight title bout three months later. The 28-year-old now vies for his third crown with six straight stoppage victories to his name - with five coming by knockout.

Long considered one of the world's preeminent bantamweights, the 37-year-old Fernandes will look to defend his throne for the seventh time in his 10th fight under the ONE banner. The Brazilian has dispatched four of his last five foes inside the distance and hasn't tasted defeat in 13 fights spanning nearly seven years. He most recently submitted Andrew Leone within one round in August.