“After that, we go back to normal” – Denice Zamboanga says bond with close friend Stamp Fairtex unaffected by upcoming clash

Denice Zamboanga is preparing to take on a fighter that she considers a friend when she returns in Bangkok, Thailand.

As one of the top atomweight contenders in the division, Zamboanga has become an invaluable training partner for Stamp Fairtex during the elite striker’s continued evolution in mixed martial arts.

The two contenders trained side by side as the Thai superstar went on to win the vacant title at ONE Fight Night 14, which surely meant that the training partners would become opponents somewhere down the line.

Despite this, Stamp and Zamboanga aren’t letting their upcoming title fight come between the relationship that they have built up in recent years.

The challenger told GMA that they still speak with one another despite putting their friendship aside on fight night before going back to how things were:

"We talk until now on social media. We have not lost our friendship. We will set our friendship aside and after that, we go back to normal."

---

Denice Zamboanga knows that she cannot let friendship become a part of the fight

Both Denice Zamboanga and Stamp Fairtex were well prepared for this exact scenario and it shows in the way they have dealt with it.

Like true professionals, both women have gone their separate ways for now before coming back together after this fight.

They may have a great relationship with one another but these kinds of things can happen when you train with other top contenders in your weight class.

It will be all business between the two top atomweights in the division come fight night as proven in the weeks following the announcement of the bout.