Denice Zamboanga sees ONE: Empower postponement as chance to improve
MANILA, Philippines — Filipina fighter Denice Zamboanga is taking the abrupt postponement of ONE: Empower in stride as she plans to make use of the time to further hone her skills ahead of the inaugural ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix.
Though admittedly disappointed when it was announced on Friday that Empower, the all-female fight card set to tip off the Grand Prix slated for next week in Singapore, would be postponed indefinitely due to safety concerns, Zamboanga aims to look at the positive side of things.
"Actually nung nalaman kong hindi [muna] tuloy, sa isip-isip ko parang ready to fight na ako eh... syempre na-disappoint ako," Zamboanga told Philstar.com.
"Pero inisip ko nalang din yung safety nung bawat isa... Inintindi ko nalang, inisip ko nalang rin na as something positive. Siguro will yun ni God para makapagtraining pa ako, kung ano pa yung mga kulang sa akin," she added.
Zamboanga was pegged to challenge Korean veteran Seo Hee Ham in her first matchup in the stacked Grand Prix, where the winner would earn the right to face ONE Championship Women's Atomweight titlist Angela Lee.
Facing a more experienced opponent, Zamboanga will make use of the extra time before they lock horns to make sure she is more than ready to clash with the more seasoned Seo.
"Magta-training na ulit ako next week," said Zamboanga after she announced she would take a short break over the weekend.
"Itutuloy ko lang kung ano yung game plan na ginagawa ko at kung ano pa yung mga kailangan pa i-work, cardio dagdagan pa, dagdagan ng speed and power," she added.
Due to the postponement of Empower, ONE Championship is set to air a tape-delayed event dubbed ONE: Full Blast on Friday, which is headlined by a ONE Super Series Muay Thai showdown between Saemapetch Fairtex and Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai.
Team Lakay's Edward Kelly has a bout in the Full Blast card against Ahmed Faress of Egypt.
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