Denice Zamboanga has dreamed of this second for years. On August 1, at ONE 173: Denver, she is going to step into the cage in opposition to her former teammate and reigning ONE Ladies’s Atomweight MMA World Champion, Stamp Fairtex, in a high-stakes unification bout.
Denice Zamboanga vs. Stamp Fairtex
The 2 used to coach collectively in Thailand, forging a bond via numerous hours of sparring and preparation. However when the cage door closes at Ball Enviornment, their friendship will take a backseat to enterprise.
“It doesn’t matter who the champion is, be it her or another person, my mindset going into the combat will at all times be that approach,” Denice Zamboanga stated talking to The MMA Superfan, “That is going to be all enterprise for me… Again in coaching, we do it severely, so think about after we’re combating for the belt. I believe that friendship must be put aside and, after the match, we’re again to regular.”
‘The Menace’ Denice Zamboanga moved to Thailand to coach with Stamp, initially serving as one among her coaching companions on the Fairtex gymnasium. In an interview with Tim Wheaton, she defined, “I had a job right here within the Philippines, after which I bought an e mail to coach there—to coach with Stamp—to turn out to be one among her coaching companions. So I simply went to Thailand to coach, and I believe it was two years of coaching there.”
Now, after years of grinding via the ranks, she’s lastly getting her shot on the undisputed title. “Yeah, after all, as a result of we’re combating for a belt. We’re speaking concerning the dream. Simply listening to these phrases, it’s actually like—I simply can’t consider that is taking place, ? I’ve been ready for this chance for a very long time, and now it’s right here.”
Zamboanga enters the combat on a four-fight profitable streak, capped by a second-round stoppage of Alyona Rassohyna, the primary girl to defeat Stamp in MMA. That win earned her the interim title and solidified her declare because the rightful challenger for the undisputed crown.
In the meantime, Stamp has been sidelined since profitable the atomweight title in opposition to Ham Search engine optimisation Hee resulting from a knee damage. Now totally recovered, the charismatic Thai famous person is able to defend her throne in opposition to a well-recognized foe. ONE 173: Denver marks ONE Championship’s return to North America. For Denice Zamboanga, it’s an opportunity to meet a lifelong dream—even when it means placing friendship on maintain for one evening.
