Denice Zamboanga will have to put friendship aside when she faces her former training partner, Stamp Fairtex, in the biggest fight of her MMA career. “The Menace,” ranked #2 in the atomweight division, challenges Stamp for the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title at ONE 167 on June 7.
Not only will she have to forget her affection for the Thai superstar, but the Filipina star will also have to do it in enemy territory at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
The pair were set to do battle at ONE 166 Qatar earlier this month before the bout was rescheduled. Zamboanga, however, told The MMA Superfan that the delay will only work in her favor.
“I believe it’s God’s will that my title shot got a bit delayed. I believe there’s a reason why that happened. I believe this is the perfect time for me to get this opportunity and become champion. I feel like ONE really prepared me for this moment and it’s finally here,” she said. It could also be said that the fight is years in the making.
Also read: Stamp Fairtex Makes Surprising Admission Amid Fan Questions: “I Feel F***ing Nervous”
Denice Zamboanga believes her friendship with Stamp Fairtex will survive their fight
Denice Zamboanga has given an update on her friendship with Stamp Fairtex ahead of their blockbuster battle at ONE 167. In a separate interview with GMA, Zamboanga noted the pair remain tight despite the years that have passed since they shared the mats at the Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand.
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“We talk until now on social media. We have not lost our friendship,” Zamboanga said. “Back when we trained together, we sparred seriously, but after that were happy moments. I think that would be the case for this fight. We will set our friendship aside and after that, we go back to normal.”
“It has been four years since we last trained together. That was a long time ago. She has improved a lot, and she is even more active than me when it comes to fighting,” Zamboanga added.
Zamboanga now represents T-Rex MMA, where she trains under her brother and fellow ONE athlete Drex “T-Rex” Zamboanga in her native Philippines.