Denice Zamboanga will once again prove to the world that she is the rightful top contender in ONE Championship’s stacked atomweight division.
This time around, she has to go through the wringer in a sudden death tournament: the ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix, which begins in the historic Empower card on Friday, May 28.
One man who will be watching intently from the sidelines her brother and ONE flyweight Drex.
Denice will face ONE Championship newcomer, and feared veteran Seo Hee Ham in the quarterfinal round. And Drex is confident that Denice will breeze through her.
“I think it’s a great match-up. Obviously, having trained martial arts with Denice basically since we were young, I know her capabilities. She’s not just talented, she also has the work ethic, and I know she’s working hard towards achieving her dreams,” said Drex.
“Seo Hee Ham is without a doubt the most dangerous opponent for Denice in this tournament. But I have complete confidence in my sister. She can beat the odds and take out the biggest threat in the Grand Prix. Denice is preparing well right now.”
Ham is one of the most feared entrants in the tournament, with most pundits considering the South Korean the “dark horse” to win it all.
Zamboanga believes this particular training camp will dictate how easy this fight could be for his sister.
“Denice is younger than Seo Hee Ham, so she has youth on her side. Yes, Ham has the experience, but there are other factors important in this game. Physical conditioning is going to be super important. Denice needs to come into this fight in the best shape of her career,” said Zamboanga.
“It’s going to take a tremendous effort to defeat Ham, but Denice is up for the challenge. We’re working on a strong game plan for this fight.”
The winner of the Grand Prix will likely earn the right to challenge sidelined ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee when the champion is ready to defend her title later this year.
Zamboanga knows Denice can pull off the monumental upset, and then, later on, challenge Lee for the title and bring the belt back home to the Philippines.
“I’m very proud of my sister. There’s nothing she can’t achieve and I see how hard she has worked in her career,” said Zamboanga.
“Now we’re here. We’re in a great position to shock the world again. I believe Denice will beat Ham, win the Grand Prix, and take out the atomweight champion later this year.”
