“We both have the same goal” - Stamp Fairtex confident friendship with Denice Zamboanga won’t hinder their eventual clash

Thai superstar Stamp Fairtex considers former teammate Denice Zamboanga a friend. She, however, said that the professionals that they are, they have no problem going up against each other.

The two top atomweight fighters used to train together at the Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand, during their earlier years as professional fighters. While they have gone their separate ways since, they have remained friends and touch base every now and then.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Stamp was asked if she has any issues with locking horns with 'The Menace' at some point. She answered in the negative, highlighting that both of them have goals they have set for themselves, and they know they involve taking on one another along the way. The 27-year-old Thai star said:

"It's not that difficult because we're both professionals and we both have the same goal of becoming world champions. This fight, we both have a clear goal. She wants the belt, and I want to defend my belt."

The two actually were supposed to meet later this year in the United States in a unification fight to become the undisputed ONE atomweight MMA world champion.

It, however, was postponed to a still-to-be-determined date as Stamp hit a snag in her recovery from a knee injury she suffered in training last year. It also moved her to relinquish the atomweight belt and elevate erstwhile interim champion Zambonga as the new divisional queen.

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Denice Zamboanga still hopeful of sharing the Circle with Stamp

ONE atomweight MMA world champion Denice Zamboanga wishes friend Stamp Fairtex a speedy recovery from her injury setback and is looking forward to finally going into battle against her when she is fully healed.

The 28-year-old Filipino champion shared this in an Instagram post after it was made official that she was elevated as the undisputed atomweight queen. It followed Stamp's decision to relinquish the belt to focus for now on her full recovery from knee injury.

Zamboanga wrote on her post:

"By God’s grace, I am now the undisputed ONE Women's Atomweight MMA World Champion. This may not have happened the way I expected, but I believe everything unfolds in God’s perfect timing. I continue to pray for Stamp’s healing and hope to share the Circle with her again soon."

The showdown between the two was first set to take place in June last year until Stamp suffered a knee injury in training, forcing her to withdraw from the title fight.

Zamboanga then went on to claim the interim belt last January to set up a unification bout against Stamp later this year, which unfortunately was also cancelled as the Thai superstar has yet to fully heal from her injury.