Denice Zamboanga won't hesitate to go for the kill against friend Stamp: "We're standing in front of each other's dreams"
There was a lot of smiling, giggling, and messing around when former teammates Stamp Fairtex and Denice Zamboanga reunited at ONE Fight Night 22 to promote their upcoming ONE 167 tiff.
So much so that fans and pundits alike wonder if these two 'besties' will really go hard at each other when they share the Circle on June 7 at Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Zamboanga, though, clarified that she won't have a problem throwing the gauntlet at her dear friend and taking away her ONE atomweight MMA world title.
'The Menace' recently spoke to ONE Championship and shared her mindset heading into the biggest fight of her professional career:
"We're standing in front of each other's dreams, and that's what I'll be thinking about when we face each other."
At the end of the day, both Denice Zamboanga and three-sport champ Stamp are professionals who understand the nature of their jobs.
It seems 26 pounds of gold does outweigh the bond these two shared during their times together at Fairtex Training Center.
For the Filipina challenger, this is an opportunity to make history as the Philippines' first-ever female MMA world champion.
But as much as Stamp adores Zamboanga, she won't let it happen at her expense and make sure the belt stays in Thailand.
Denice Zamboanga says there's no pressure in first world title opportunity
After paying her dues in the stacked atomweight MMA division, it's time for Denice Zamboanga to harvest the fruits of her labor.
The second-ranked contender will certainly carry the weight of an entire nation on her shoulders. However, instead of succumbing to the nerves, Zamboanga says it gives her added inspiration to become a world champion.
'The Menace' told Tiebreaker Times:
"I don't see it as a pressure. I just go with the flow and do what needs to be done. I view it as motivation to bring prestige to the country."
Prime Video subscribers in North America can watch ONE 167 free of charge, live as it happens in US Primetime.