Denice Zamboanga stays positive amid injury: “This is just another challenge”

Despite the difficult predicament she finds herself in, Denice Zamboanga chooses to stay focused on her ultimate goal. 

The current #2-ranked contender recently had to make the tough decision to withdraw from her ONE Interim Atomweight MMA World Title bout against #4-ranked Alyona Rassohyna.  

This was supposed to take place in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 25 on Prime Video, emanating live in U.S. primetime from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 4. 

The culprit behind Zamboanga’s pullout is a hamstring injury that has plagued her since her preparation for a previous matchup against Noelle Grandjean this past June. 

Amid the pain, she pushed through and secured a unanimous decision victory over Grandjean. 

But the injury worsened during a recent sparring session while gearing up for her clash with Rassohyna. 

“I knew something was wrong the moment I heard it. It was the kind of sound that no athlete ever wants to hear,” she told Tiebreaker Times. 

Medical assessments have indicated that “The Menace” will need one to two months of therapy before she can return to her training routine.  

While this unfortunate news is undoubtedly a setback, Zamboanga remains confident about her future. 

“This is just another challenge on my journey. I know that when the time is right, I’ll be ready to fight for the title,” she said.

Denice Zamboanga still hopes to get a crack at gold once cleared

Indeed, Denice Zamboanga’s journey toward ONE Championship’s 26 pounds of gold has been anything but smooth. 

Earlier this year, she was slated to challenge Stamp Fairtex for the lineal crown at ONE 166: Qatar in March.  

Unfortunately, that showdown was rescheduled to ONE 167 on Prime Video in June, only to be canceled again when Stamp suffered a torn meniscus just two weeks before the fight.  

The 27-year-old adapted to the situation and faced Noelle Grandjean instead. There, she dominated the French-Thai standout to maintain her place at the forefront of the World Title race. 

Just as her opportunity to compete for a portion of the divisional throne seemed within grasp, life threw her another curve ball. 

Yet, true to form, Zamboanga is not letting this deter her. 

“I’ve faced challenges before, and I’ll face them again,” she said. “My dream of becoming a World Champion is still alive, and I won’t stop until I achieve it.”