Entitlement.
That has been the center of the feud between top contender Denice Zamboanga and reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee.
Late 2020, Zamboanga — who had earned her shot at the belt — went on record to say that Lee, who was pregnant that time, should be stripped of her championship due to inactivity and that she is not entitled to hold it for so long while on “maternity leave.”
The 25-year-old Canadian-Singaporean last fought back on October 13, 2019.
Instead of hearing it as a suggestion, Lee did not take too kindly to it. She countered that Zamboanga did not deserve to be the no. 1 contender in the division since she has not fought ranked opponents. Moreover, Lee said that being the next mandatory challenger does not make Zamboanga entitled to make demands.
The 24-year-old Filipina is unbeaten in eight bouts, including wins over Jihin Radzuan, Mei Yamaguchi, and Watsapinya Kaewkhong.
“Siguro na-trigger siya sa answers ko dati dahil walang sumasagot sa kanya. Ako lang ang unang nagsalita about sa kanya,” recalled Zamboanga during Tuesday’s edition of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum, powered by SMART and has Upstream Media as its webcast partner.
Lee ended up not being stripped of her championship. Meanwhile, the top eight contenders in the division have to go through the ONE World Atomweight Grand Prix for a chance to face the champion.
As they say, you have to go through hell to get to heaven.
The first round of the GP will take place on September 3, 2021 during ONE: Empower. Zamboanga’s assignment will be Korean Seo Hee Ham (23-8).
Lee did not mince her words about the bout, believing that Zamboanga will lose in the opening round.
“Hindi ako focused sa nararamdaman niya. Naka-focus ako sa makalaban ko,” she said.
“Wala pa sa isip ko si Angela Lee, pero motivation sa akin ‘yun na sinabi niyang matatalo ako at ‘di ko malalagpasan ‘yung first round ng Grand Prix. Ipu-prove ko sa kanya na mali siya.”
If Zamboanga gets through Seo, she will face the winner of the Stamp Fairtex versus Alyona Rassohyna bout. If she succeeds, she will either face Meng Bo, Itsuki Hirata, Ritu Phogat, or Alyse Anderson.
Yes, Zamboanga will have to go through a murderer’s row to get to Lee.
Of course, Lee will be rooting for whoever faces Zamboanga. And the fighter out of Marrok Force doesn’t mind that.
“Talagang ipu-prove ko na mali siya.”
