“I thought it could still be done” - Stamp admits she wanted to suspend surgery and fight Denice Zamboanga at ONE 167
If she had her wish, Stamp Fairtex would've defended her world title against Denice Zamboanga with just one healthy knee. The reigning ONE women's atomweight MMA world champion admitted she initially wanted to postpone her knee surgery and face Zamboanga at ONE 167 on June 7 at Impact Arena.
Those wishes, however, were never fulfilled after doctors strongly advised Stamp that surgery was necessary to repair the torn meniscus in her left knee.
Stamp told ONE Championship in an interview:
"I went to see Mr. Banjong [Fairtex CEO Philip Wong], I asked if I could fight before going for surgery because I have fought before with a broken ankle. I thought it could still be done if I rested for a day or two, but this time it can't be done. The doctor said I have to go for an operation because of the extent of my injury."
Stamp, a former ONE atomweight Muay Thai and kickboxing world champion, won the vacant women's atomweight MMA throne at the expense of Ham Seo Hee at ONE Fight Night 14.
Angela Lee, the world title's inaugural owner, announced her retirement on the September 2023 card and vacated the throne nearly an hour before Stamp knocked Ham out in the main event.
After Stamp pulled out of the card, ONE Championship announced that Zamboanga would face Noelle Grandjean in an atomweight MMA contest at ONE 167.
Tawanchai PK Saenchai's defense of the ONE featherweight Muay Thai world championship against Jo Nattawut was also elevated to the card's main event.
ONE 167 is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
Stamp admits getting emotional after she was told to pull out of ONE 167 due to injury
Stamp Fairtex wants nothing more than to fight on the biggest stage. So when she received the news she had to undergo surgery and pull out of ONE 167, the three-sport world champion understandably became emotional.
In the same interview with ONE Championship, Stamp said she bawled out when doctors strongly advised her to go under the knife and pull out of her world title defense against Zamboanga.
"Cry. I cried. When the doctor called me, he told me to take a long break and I cried and cried in my room. I was crying and brushing away my tears, even when I was in the shower."