“We would have dinner together” - Denice Zamboanga shares how friendship with Stamp developed from their days as teammates
Denice Zamboanga didn't just treat Stamp Fairtex as a teammate, she was practically her sister from another mother.
Before the pair became two of the best female mixed martial artists on the planet, they were simply upstarts at Fairtex Training Center trying to make a name for themselves.
After enduring hardships together in training, the fiery warriors found solace with each other and soon forged a bond that remains strong even to this day.
The interim atomweight MMA world champion recalled how her friendship with Stamp blossomed in an interview on Atleta Filipina's YouTube page:
"When I started training in Thailand, I trained with her. We were sparring partners - for five five-minute rounds, we were together. There’s a lot of girls there, but we were the ones who were matched up when it came to sparring."
'The Menace' continued:
"After training, we would have dinner together. So our closeness has always been there, and we are close friends."
While Denice Zamboanga left Fairtex, she still considered Stamp her close ally. Then again, even all affinity goes out the window when there's 26 pounds of gold on the line.
Stamp and Zamboanga will put that friendship aside in the meantime and handle business at ONE 173: Denver. Visit watch.onefc.com for more details about the event.
Denice Zamboanga credits setbacks for allowing her to reach full potential
An undisputed atomweight MMA queen will be crowned in the promotion's return to The Ball Arena in 'The Mile High City' for ONE 173 on Aug. 1.
Denice Zamboanga has earned herself a date with her ex-teammate after capturing the interim atomweight MMA world title last January.
In the same interview, 'The Menace' said she wouldn't be in a position to unify the 115-pound belts against current champion Stamp if not for the setbacks that shaped her along the way.
The first Filipina MMA world champion said:
"I get to learn from it. That’s what helps build my character, really."
Watch Denice Zamboanga's interview in its entirety: