Friendship takes backseat as Zamboanga challenges Stamp Fairtex for ONE atomweight belt

MANILA, Philippines – There will be a lot of history on the line when Denice Zamboanga faces reigning ONE women’s atomweight world champion Stamp Fairtex for a chance to steal her crown at ONE 166: Qatar in March.

Not only is this the Filipina’s first championship fight; it will also be ONE Championship’s first live event in Qatar. But more importantly, the match-up carries a lot of personal significance for the up-and-coming Zamboanga.

It can be recalled that the 27-year-old used to be teammates with Stamp, training together under the banner of Fairtex Training Center in Thailand. Though it’s been a long time since Zamboanga had left their nest, there was no denying the bond and friendship that they shared.

“Four years na kami since huli kaming nag-training, so ang tagal na noon… Until now, kausap ko pa rin siya sa social media. ‘Di nawawala yung friendship namin sa isa’t isa,” Zamboanga said. 

“Before nung nagte-training kami, training talaga and pag sparring, seryosong sparring talaga. Pero after that, may happy moments kami,” she added.

Still, Zamboanga knows the chance at hand is bigger than herself and the relationship she built with Stamp.

Currently, the Philippines has no reigning titlist in the Singapore promotion. And after four years of waiting, she finally has the chance to call herself champion.

Zamboanga was considered a contender as early as 2020, with the now-retired Angela Lee still holding the belt.

But because of the pandemic, and Lee’s pregnancy and eventual retirement, the Filipina had to wait longer than most for her chance at glory.

Now that it’s finally within her fingertips, Zamboanga is setting aside all relationships to focus on the task at hand.

“Siguro ganun din sa fight, na mase-set aside namin yung friendship and I think after the fight, yung normal na namin, ganoon ulit,” she said.

In Qatar, Zamboanga will also be sharing the spotlight with compatriot Joshua Pacio, who will look to regain his ONE strawweight belt against American Jarred Brooks.

The blockbuster event will be headlined by the ONE middleweight title fight between reigning champion Reinier De Ridder and two-division champion Anatoly Malykhin.