"A lot has changed" – Denice Zamboanga on why familiarity with former teammate Stamp won’t be an issue at ONE 167
No. 2 ranked contender Denice Zamboanga does not believe her time training with Stamp Fairtex will come into play when the two atomweight superstars square off at Impact Arena.
On Friday, June 7, Stamp will put her ONE atomweight MMA world championship on the line for the very first time when she headlines ONE 167 opposite 'The Menace' in Bangkok, Thailand. Zamboanga and Stamp are all too familiar with one another, having trained with one another and maintaining their friendship through the years.
However, Zamboanga remains convinced that despite being relatively close, much has changed since the two used to work together in the gym.
“Sure, we trained together, and in a sense, we’re familiar with each other’s games, the strengths and weaknesses, and whatnot, but I believe a lot has changed since then," Zamboanga said in an interview with ONE.
After winning back-to-back bouts against Lin Heqin and Julie Mezabarba, Zamboanga will look to cash in on her first shot at ONE Championship gold — but to walk away with the title, she'll have to dispatch one of the greatest fighters in all of women's combat sports.
Stamp Fairtex looks to secure her first successful title defense against Denice Zamboanga
Stamp Fairtex is perhaps the greatest female fighter in the world today, winning belts in both Muay Thai and kickboxing before turning her attention to mixed martial arts.
Today, Stamp is 11-2 in MMA competition and goes into her first title defense riding a four-fight win streak, including her world title-winning performance against Ham Seo Hee at ONE Fight Night 14 in September.
Will Stamp make it five in a row and retain her 26 pounds of gold in The Land of Smiles, or will Denice Zamboanga shock the world and hand the champ her first loss in more than two years?
ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE 167 live and for free via Amazon Prime Video in U.S. primetime on Friday, June 7.