Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3104544/one-championship-denice-zamboanga-blasts Mixed Martial Arts
ONE Championship: Denice Zamboanga blasts Angela Lee, calls on pregnant champ to ‘do the right thing’ and vacate title
- Filipino says she’s proved she deserves title shot and asks Lee to show ‘respect’ by giving up atomweight belt
- ‘Most great champions would have done this straight away as soon as they know they cannot defend the belt for personal reasons,’ says Zamboanga
Denice Zamboanga throws a punch at Jihin Radzuan. Photos: ONE Championship
Denice Zamboanga has hit out at Angela Lee for not vacating her ONE Championship atomweight title despite revealing she is three months pregnant.
Lee (10-2) told SCMP MMA she will meet the winner of ONE’s atomweight grand prix late next year, with the 24-year-old due to give birth in April 2021. But the Filipino “Menace” (5-0) believes the eight-woman tournament should be for the atomweight title itself, and not just a grand prix championship belt.
And the No 1-ranked Zamboanga blasted Lee in an Instagram post on Wednesday where she reacted to comments from the champ that she has not yet earned a shot.
“I have proven myself to the world. I am the number one contender,” Zamboanga wrote. “I earn it through beating world class opponents. I have already face Mei Yamaguchi, the fighter that almost beat Angela. The fight I believe Angela was very fortunate to win.
“She was in trouble most of the time during that fight. I was never in trouble during that fight. Mei is a great fighter and I have a lot of respect for her. In my opinion she is a better fighter than Angela.
“Angela is the world champion, she should do the right thing like all the great champion does. She should give the respect other fighters deserve and most importantly she should not resist vacating the Championship belt since she cannot defend it.
“She made a choice to become a mother, which is great I am very happy for her. However she [should] do the respectable thing and vacate the Championship belt herself and [not] have to wait for the organisation to ask. I am surprised that she hasn’t made the announcement to vacate the belt. Most great champion would done this straight away as soon as they know they cannot defend the belt for the personal reason.
“I hope she does the right thing and made the announcement herself. Be the respectable champion as I always know her to be.
“When she’s ready to come back I will be waiting for her.”
View this post on InstagramA post shared by DENICE MMA (@denicezamboanga) on
Zamboanga had told SCMP MMA on Monday night that she expected the grand prix to at least determine an interim champion, or even be for the vacant belt.
But ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced on a Tuesday media call that Lee would not be relinquishing her title and would face the winner of the tournament when she returns.
“I think it will be exciting for the atomweight division to fight for the vacant atomweight belt and the grand prix tournament in the same year,” she said. “It should be two, it should be both, two types of world champion – atomweight world championship and world gran prix championship. This is what I’m expecting.
Denice Zamboanga punches Watsapinya Kaewkhong in Bangkok.
“I am happy to fight in the tournament and also the chance for the vacant atomweight belt. I’m not sure about interim or vacant because ONE Championship is still finalising what will be the decision for the belt, but I think if the atomweight belt is vacant, every athlete in the division is looking for the shot too.
“It will be great because those top five are very tough opponents, especially Meng Bo and Lin Heqin, their recent fights in ONE Championship are all finishes. I will just jeep on training and whoever they put in front of me I will fight anyone for it, because my goal is a world championship belt.”