"Accidents can happen all the time" - Injured Stamp rues missed world title defense vs Denice Zamboanga at ONE 167

Devastating news struck on May 21 as Stamp Fairtex was announced to have withdrawn from ONE 167.

The Thai superstar was set to return for the first time since becoming the ONE atomweight world champion last September. Her first defense of the ONE atomweight world championship was set to be against Denice Zamboanga in the main event on June 7. However, she has been left with no alternative but to withdraw after tearing her meniscus which required surgery.

Of course, she will be incredibly disappointed to miss out on this first opportunity to defend her title in front of her home fans in Thailand. The champion is now focused on recovery but that doesn't mean she isn't able to look back on the opportunity that has escaped her.

In her official statement, once the news was made official, she apologized to the fans who were looking forward to her putting on a show:

"I'm sorry that I didn't get on stage for everyone to cheer on. I worked hard and I was very focused for this fight. [But] accidents can happen all time."

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Stamp will be back stronger than ever

Adversity has never been something that has held Stamp Fairtex back in the past and as unfortunate as this one is, injuries are a part of the game.

It appears unlikely that she will be able to make the turnaround to fight in Denver at ONE 168 also having been given a rough timeline of six months before she can make a full recovery.

That being said, the world champion is made of stronger stuff so if there's anyone that can will this into existence, it's her.

Rest assured that during her time on the sidelines, Stamp will be hoping to make up for lost time once she does return.

ONE 167 will still air live from the Impact Arena in Bangkok on June 7 with a stacked card as Tawanchai ascends to the main event slot.