Denice Zamboanga in good spirits despite missed world title opportunity: "Maybe it's not my time"
Second-ranked atomweight MMA contender Denice Zamboanga remains focused on securing the divisional gold despite being handed another major blow in her world title bid last week.
Defending ONE atomweight MMA queen Stamp Fairtex was forced out of their ONE 167 headliner contest after she required immediate surgery to repair a torn meniscus she picked up during the final stretch of her fight camp two weeks ago.
The three-sport queen's surgery on May 20 was successful and she is now pushing the paces via physical therapy to get back to full fitness.
Denice Zamboanga, however, isn't letting any bitter news get to her head. Instead, she views this latest setback as just part and parcel of the process to become her nation's first female MMA world champion.
Speaking to the South China Morning Post, the 27-year-old said:
"I could say that maybe it's not my time because there are a lot of like struggles and adversity, yeah, but I just think positively that it's not my time yet. Maybe I should and need to train more for that championship."
Watch Denice Zamboanga's full interview here:
Of course, this wasn't the first time the T-Rex MMA product came inches away from a dance for the 26-pound world title.
Before Stamp took the MMA world by storm, 'The Menace' sat at the top-ranked spot of the division and was a hot favorite to challenge then-divisional queen 'Unstoppable' Angela Lee.
However, the Singaporean-American athlete took time away from competition to give birth and raise her family. At the same time, a run of defeats for Zamboanga and Stamp's impeccable rise through the ranks meant that momentum shifted in favor of the Thai megastar.
Denice Zamboanga hopes to keep the pressure on Stamp with a win over Noelle Grandjean
While Stamp aims to complete her race to full fitness, with another barnburner war against Xiong Jing Nan at ONE 168: Denver on the horizon, Denice Zamboanga hopes to secure her spot as the next in line with a win over Noelle Grandjean at ONE 167 on June 7.
Should the Filipina warrior get her hand raised, she will extend her winning streak to three and push herself into the driver's seat for another shot at the atomweight MMA crown.
Meanwhile, Grandjean heads into her first fight against a ranked opponent with two victories and defeats apiece.
In her last outing at ONE Fight Night 22 earlier this month, she dropped a unanimous decision to rising Japanese sensation Chihiro Sawada.
Active Amazon Prime Video subscribers in North America can catch the entire ONE 167 card live in U.S. primetime for free.