From ring to nursery

Like boxing, love is never won by backing down.

But these days, Olympian Hergie Bacyadan is fighting for something far greater than medals and national pride. He is set to enter an entirely new arena, where one wrong move could doom everything he worked hard for — fatherhood.

Yes, the 31-year-old Bacyadan and his wife, Lady Digo, are about to start building their own family. Suddenly, between roadwork and mitt sessions, there are check-ups to attend, meals to prepare and a loving wife waiting at home for the member of the national kickboxing and boxing team.

Bacyadan, however, assured that he’s working hard to fulfill his roles.

“Training is ongoing. I’m happy every day because we’re both excited as partners,” Bacyadan said during an episode of Off the Court, the weekly online sports show of DAILY TRIBUNE last Thursday. 

“I’ve been taking care of my wife here at home. I’m very hands-on. Actually, we talked about me going full-time at home because I need to be there for her.”

Patience pays off

Bacyadan turned his dream into reality when he qualified for the Summer Olympics in Paris in 2024.

But once the bright lights were switched off and that colorful chapter had closed, he returned home with a renewed clarity and purpose of becoming a father.

And it wasn’t easy.

Being a member of the LGBTQ community, Bacyadan had to deal with a very unique situation of building a family through a diverse, intentional path of undergoing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

“After my OlAympic journey, I decided to try again when I returned to the Philippines in 2025. I couldn’t fully focus at first because of training. But I told myself, if this is God’s will, it will happen,” he said, adding that faith carried him through uncertainty.

Faith, he says, carried them through the uncertainty. IVF, after all, is expensive, often costing as high as P500,000 aside from being painful and emotionally and physically draining. But the worst part is that success is not fully guaranteed.

“We harvested many eggs, but only one embryo was successful. We were nervous while waiting for the results,” Bacyadan recalled.

They were supposed to wait for the official blood test. But patience, in moments like that, feels impossible.

“We were supposed to wait for the blood test, but she couldn’t wait and asked me to buy a pregnancy test. I even bought pandesal at the same time,” Bacyadan said, recalling the fateful moment that would change their lives forever.

“When we got home, she tested immediately. We were waiting for the lines to appear. It felt like opening a gift without knowing what’s inside.”

“There were two lines. We weren’t sure at first, so we even checked with ChatGPT to confirm. When it said it was positive, we prayed and thanked the Lord.”

New calling

Bacyadan has never shied away from responsibility. Inside the ring, he embraces the grind and outside of it, he now embraces a new calling — becoming a parent. 

Expecting their first child, he speaks with the same intensity he carries into a fight, only this time his eyes soften when she talks about family.

“That’s what I promised her when I started training. I didn’t expect I would return to the national team as an amateur boxer, but I continued because I told her I would fight not only in boxing but in life for our family,” Bacyadan said.

“She became my inspiration. Our dream was to have a baby. The Lord fulfilled that wish. Now, I just want to take care of my child and my family.”

For an athlete who has represented the country in kickboxing and is returning to amateur boxing with hopes of future international campaigns, inspiration has always been a crucial weapon. 

But nothing, he admits, compares to the motivation he now carries.

Four years together have built a foundation sturdy enough to withstand public scrutiny, physical pain and emotional tests. In a society where LGBT couples still face questions and judgment, Bacyadan and his wife stand firm — not with anger, but with quiet strength.

They are expecting a boy. And already, Bacyadan speaks like a fighter mapping out a long-term strategy — not for a championship bout, but for raising a child with resilience.

“We want our child to be strong. It’s not easy to have a family like ours. Some people think it’s not normal. But we’ll make sure our child prioritizes love over judgment,” Bacyadan said.

“As part of the LGBTQ community, we’ve experienced being judged. So we will teach our child not to judge others.”

Yes, there will be time again for national anthems and raised gloves. But for now, the undefeated