“Thai people are very welcoming” - Atomweight queen Denice Zamboanga credits time in Thailand for molding her career

ONE atomweight MMA world champion Denice Zamboanga's martial arts journey has also seen her make a stop in Thailand. It is an episode she looks back on with a ton of significance, crediting it with preparing her for the career she has established.

'The Menace' spent two years early in her career at the world-renowned Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya. While working in the Philippines, she was invited to train there. It was an opportunity she immediately grabbed onto, seeing it as a great platform to see her martial arts career goals through.

Speaking to MMA podcaster Carlo Perruza, Denice Zamboanga opened up about her experience in the "Land of Smiles," including the training she had to go through and her experience with the people and surroundings in Thailand that allowed her to settle in.

The 28-year-old Filipino champion said:

"It's pretty cool because I train with a lot of good female fighters, good fighters, and the environment and the Thai people are very welcoming. And then, especially like I like the food there, the ambiance and everything."

Watch the full interview below:

While at Fairtex Training Center, among those Denice Zamboanga trained with was Thai superstar Stamp Fairtex, with whom she developed a friendship.

While they have since gone their separate ways, the two have maintained their friendship and respect for one another.

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Denice Zamboanga says showdown with Stamp will happen despite extended wait

Denice Zamboanga and Stamp were supposed to meet later this year to unify the championship belts in the atomweight MMA division, but the latter had to withdraw after she encountered a setback in her recovery from a knee injury. Despite that, Zamboanga remains confident that their long-awaited showdown will take place at some point.

In withdrawing, Stamp also decided to relinquish her spot as ONE atomweight MMA queen to allow things to move in the division while she continues to recover. It elevated Zamboanga from being the interim champion to the undisputed divisional champion.

'The Menace' opened up about his deferred match against Stamp in an interview with ONE Championship, highlighting that the extended wait only makes their showdown all the more exciting when it happens.

She said:

"I think the wait will build even more excitement and hype for this fight [with Stamp]. People have been wanting to see this match for a long time."

Denice Zamboanga has been on an impressive roll of late, winning her last four matches, including that in January over Alyona Rassohyna of Ukraine by second-round TKO to claim the interim atomweight MMA belt.