Denice, Drex Zamboanga magbabalik-Pilipinas

MAGBABALIK sa bansa  si Filipina ONE Championship Atomweight Denice “Lycan Queen” Zamboanga pagkaraan ng mahaba-haba ring pamamalagi sa Thailand.

Mataandaan na lumipad pa-Thailand si Zamboanga bago pa ang COVID-19 lockdowns noong Marso 2020, at nagpasya na mamalagi muna roon kasama ang kanyang nakatatandang kapatid na si Drex at ang kanilang kaibigan na si Fritz Biagtan para masiguro na ang kaniyang training ay hindi madidiskarel. 

Ngayon, pagkaraan ng halos dalawang taon na nakabase sa overseas, magbabalik si Zamboanga para dito iselebra ang Christmas holiday kasama ang kanyang pamilya.

“Actually, I’m going home on December 1st. I’ll be home in December. All three of us, kuya Drex, Fritz [Biagtan], we’ll be flying back to the Philippines to spend Christmas there. I think it’s time,” pahayag ni  Zamboanga sa ONE Championship sa panayam sa kanya kamakailan.

“I just want to reset and re-energize myself. It’s been so long and I miss my family back home. I miss my mom’s home-cooked meals, all the street food, and all my friends. My older sister is going home too, so it’s going to be a family reunion.”

Sa pamamalagi niya sa Thailand, nag-ensayo si Zamboanga sa magagaling na Thai atomweight sensation at mga kaibigan sa Fairtex Training Center sa Pattaya, bago siya nagpalit ng gym affiliations at lumipat sa Bangkok para mag-ensayo sa Marrok Force.

Nasaksihan si “Lycan Queen” sa tatlong kapanapanabik na martial arts contests, nang manalo siya kina  veteran Mei Yamaguchi at Thai local Watsapinya Kaewkhong bago natalo kay South Koren Seo Hee Ham sa isang kontrobersiyal na split decision.

Ayon kay Zamboanga, may nakatakda sana siyang laban sa Disyembre, pero ayon sa ulat, umatras  ang makakalaban niya sa showdown.

“Actually I was offered a fight against Alyona Rassohyna on the December 3 card. I agreed to that fight and was getting ready for it, even if I only had a couple of weeks to really prepare for it,” sabi ni Zamboanga.

“Honestly, I just wanted to fight again, so that I could get another one in before Christmas. Another win would have been great. But I think Rassohyna turned the fight down. I’m fully recovered from the injuries I incurred during the Seo Hee Ham fight, so I’m cleared to compete.”

Si Zamboanga ay kasalukuyang No. 1 ranked contender sa ONE atomweight division at inaasahan niya na magiging maganda ang takbo ng kanyang career sa parating na 2022.

Samantala,  magbabalik sa laban si reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angele Lee sa Circle sa susunod na taon, at inaasahan na magaganap ang Lee vs. Zamboanga fight.