![Stamp Fairtex (left) and Denice Zamboanga (right). [Photo from ONE Championship]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/2983a-17474217771881-1920.jpg)
![Stamp Fairtex (left) and Denice Zamboanga (right). [Photo from ONE Championship]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.6666666666667'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Denice Zamboanga was in a bit of a conundrum following her ascension to undisputed world champion status.
The Filipino superstar was promoted to undisputed ONE women's atomweight MMA world champion after her close friend Stamp Fairtex agreed to relinquish her throne earlier this month.
Stamp was supposed to face Zamboanga, who previously held the division's interim strap, in a unification match for the undisputed ONE women's atomweight MMA world title at ONE 173: Denver.
The Thai megastar, however, aggravated her injured knee during rehab.
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In an interview with Nick Atkin for Bangkok Post, Zamboanga detailed what went through her mind when elevated to undisputed world champion status.
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Denice Zamboanga admitted that while she was happy with the development, she was still concerned about her close friend's injury.
"When ONE Championship told me that Stamp agreed to relinquish her belt, the happiness of my reaction was not that high because I'm still thinking of her situation," she said.
Stamp was originally scheduled to defend the division's crown against Zamboanga at ONE 167 in June 2024, but she suffered a torn meniscus in her left knee that forced her to the sidelines.
Zamboanga then claimed the ONE interim women's atomweight MMA world title against Alyona Rassohyna at ONE Fight Night 27 in January to set up her unification match against her former Fairtex Training Center teammate.
Following Stamp's recent injury, ONE Championship announced that its Denver event would be moved to June 26, 2026, after a few world title matches did not materialize.
Watch Zamboanga's entire interview below:
Denice Zamboanga intrigued by potential meeting against Ayaka Miura
With no official timetable for Stamp Fairtex's return, Denice Zamboanga started to look at potential opponents for her throne.
Zamboanga pointed at former ONE women's strawweight MMA world title contender Ayaka Miura as a possible challenger.
In the same interview with Nick Atkin, Zamboanga said:
"Since she's very active, I think that's one of her advantages. For me, it's a challenge because we are both good at grappling, but at the same time, she knows how to handle a fighter like me, so I think it will be a big challenge for me."
Miura is riding a four-fight winning streak, with three wins coming via submission.
