Denice Zamboanga will have to wait a little longer to fulfill her dream of becoming a World Champion in mixed martial arts.
The Filipina heroine was supposed to compete for the interim ONE Atomweight MMA World Title versus Alyona Rassohyna in the co-headliner of ONE Fight Night 25, taking place at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 5.
Unfortunately, a hamstring injury that she sustained during training has dashed her hopes for now.
“The Menace” revealed that she had been experiencing pain in her hamstring since her preparation for her match-up against Noelle Grandjean this past June – a bout she won by unanimous decision.
The injury, however, worsened during a recent sparring session for her scheduled World Title clash against Rassohyna.
Zamboanga described hearing a loud snap, a sound that filled her with immediate concern.
“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, reflecting on the moment her injury took a turn for the worse.
(C) ONE Championship
Her doctor has advised Zamboanga that it will likely take one to two months of therapy before she can resume her training routine.
This setback is a significant blow to the 27-year-old Quezon City resident, who has been on a relentless quest for a title opportunity since her upset victory over Mei Yamaguchi in February 2020.
The No. 2-ranked contender has endured a series of unfortunate events that have delayed her championship aspirations.
Earlier this year, Zamboanga was originally slated to challenge Stamp Fairtex for the divisional crown at ONE 166 last March.
However, the encounter was rescheduled to ONE 167 in June, only to be thrown into disarray when the Thai superstar suffered a torn meniscus just two weeks before the actual duel.
This series of twists and turns placed Zamboanga in a high-risk, low-reward matchup opposite a replacement opponent in Grandjean.
Despite the circumstances, she delivered a dominant performance, maintaining her pole position in the title race.
As she prepared to finally vie for the belt, another hurdle emerged.
Nevertheless, Zamboanga remains resolute in her pursuit of 26 pounds of gold.
“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,” Zamboanga said with determination.
