Denice Zamboanga, the No. 2-ranked ONE Championship women's atomweight bout champion, is scheduled to face Noelle Grandjean at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Jo Nattawut II at the Impact Arena in Bangkok on June 7. Originally scheduled to face current ONE Women's Atomweight MMA World Champion Stamp Fairtex in the main event, Zamboanga's bout was canceled due to an injury to the 26-year-old. ONE Championship and CEO Chatri Sityodtong have given Zamboanga another chance, but it will not be a world title fight, but a regular atomweight MMA bout.
Speaking to Essentially Sports ahead of the highly-anticipated bout, Zamboanga expressed his desire to try his hand at other combat sports such as boxing and kickboxing.
Dennis Zamboanga's kickboxing and possible transition to boxing
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Denice Zamboanga has dreamed of dominating the MMA world since her debut in ONE Championship. However, she has faced setbacks, including in her most recent bouts. Despite the disappointment, she is determined to continue moving forward in her career. In an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, the 27-year-old revealed that, just like Stamp Fairtex, she hopes to reach the top in other martial arts as well.
Three-sport ONE World Champion Stamp Fairtex is an inspiration to friends and opponents alike. In this case, Denise Zamboanga fits into both categories. Zamboanga asserted:For me as a mixed martial artist, competing in different martial arts has been a really great experience. For now, mixed martial arts is my focus.She added: “But in the future I would like to try boxing or kickboxing too.” This reflects her dream of following in Stamp Fairtex's footsteps and competing in multiple martial arts.
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While Stamp Fairtex was part of her inspiration, her desire to compete in other combat sports likely stems from multiple factors. A big influence could be compatriot and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao, 45, was Denice Zamboanga's role model growing up, and his achievements may have ignited her dream of becoming a multi-sport athlete.
Zamboanga highlights Manny Pacquiao's influence
Every young fighter always looks up to a famous older fighter. This trend has been prevalent throughout the sports industry for decades. For example, the famous boxer Tyson Fury's name was inspired by Mike Tyson, who reigned as the undisputed heavyweight champion. Similarly, in an interview with EssentiallySports, Dennis Zamboanga reminisced about his childhood and the major influences that inspired him to become the MMA star he is today.
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“Manny Pacquiao is truly inspiring. Not just for me, but for everyone. But most Filipino athletes are impressed by his training methods, the hard work he puts into training, and his fighting spirit in the ring.” the fighter added. With just three days until her bout with Noel Grandjean, Zamboanga is steadily progressing towards her goal of becoming a ONE Championship MMA World Champion. However, only the future will tell if she can match the feats of her idol, Manny Pacquiao, in the near future.
Do you think the 27-year-old will win at ONE 167? Share your predictions in the comments section below.
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