ONE Championship: Denice Zamboanga calls for a shot at an interim atomweight MMA title
- The Filipina, who won her latest challenge, says she is tired of waiting for a chance at a belt as the champion recovers from surgery
Denice Zamboanga has done a lot of waiting. She has been on the cusp of securing an atomweight title shot since 2019 and underlined her credentials as the No 1 contender in the division with a decision win over Noelle Grandjean at ONE 167 last Saturday.
Zamboanga knows she will have to wait even longer to fight for the title because champion Stamp Fairtex recently underwent knee surgery. The Filipina wants that fight but she does not want to sit on the sidelines waiting for the Thai fighter to recover.
Zamboanga told the Post she thinks ONE Championship should introduce an interim belt while Stamp is out of action.
“I think I deserve to fight for an interim belt because I’ve been waiting for this so long – I was ready five years ago and was supposed to fight the champion. I think I deserve an interim belt.”
Zamboanga has made a compelling case for herself by winning three fights in a row. The only other contender in the division who has shown that type of form is Chihiro Sawada and the Japanese wrestler is definitely on her radar.
Seo Hee Ham, who has beaten Zamboanga twice, is also in the mix, but the Filipina has eyes only for Sawada.
“I like the style of Sawada because it’s new to me and I’ve never fought a pure wrestler.”
They say that styles make fights, and Zamboanga ended up with a very different type of challenge to the one she had prepared for at ONE 167. After months preparing to fight Muay Thai specialist Stamp she ended up taking on a multiple-time judo champion in Grandjean.
Zamboanga won fairly comfortably, controlling the striking exchanges and threatening with a submission attempt in the opening round, but said some last-minute adjustments were required.
“I was supposed to fight for the championship and I had been preparing for six months. We changed the game plan because I was supposed to fight striking and I ended up fighting with a judo black belt so we had to change a lot.”
It is the fifth time in a row that Zamboanga has been the distance. The only disappointment for the 27-year-old is she was not able to finish Grandjean faster.
“It’s frustrating because I was expecting to finish her and in the first round I got a choke but I was happy to win by unanimous decision.”
Regardless of whether ONE Championship decides to introduce an interim title, she seems to be on a collision course with Stamp.
Zamboanga has made it clear she wants that match-up and thinks there is a lot of public interest in seeing the two former Fairtex teammates face off.
“Hopefully, because it’s not just me who wants that fight. Everyone wants to see that fight.”
