Former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang sees a bright future for unbeaten Filipina strawweight Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga, who has taken ONE Championship by storm since her debut in 2019.
Zamboanga has defeated all three of her opponents with relative ease. Her latest win was an 88-second submission of Watsapinya “Dream Girl” Kaewkhong in August.
Folayang has no doubts that the 23-year-old will continue to climb the division.
“I think she has what it takes to become a World Champion,” Folayang said.
“You really can’t put a limit on the potential of someone. Of course, I want her to keep moving forward and one day become a champion.
“I think she has the heart to get it. I think she has the grit, and in the right time I hope she gets the World Title that she has been dreaming of.”
But winning the ONE Atomweight World Title will certainly be easier said than done, especially since “Unstoppable” Angela Lee has been so dominant.
Since making her promotional debut at 18 years old back in 2015, Lee has yet to lose in the division. This makes Zamboanga the undeniable underdog of their much-awaited battle.
Folayang likened Zamboanga’s situation to his World Title run in 2016, when he shocked martial arts fans by finishing Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki in the third round to win the ONE Lightweight World Title.
“The critics will always be there. On my part, if you asked 10 people who would win between me and Aoki, probably all 10 would say Aoki,” Folayang said. “But you need to defy that, you need to eliminate that from your mind.”
Folayang thinks that if Zamboanga can continue to show the hunger that has gotten her this far, then the unbeaten Filipina is already one step closer to her dreams.
“My advice is to just keep on preparing, keep on improving, if you really want something, you will do everything to get that,” Folayang said.
“For me, I made a lot of sacrifices. She has to do it as well, particularly when it comes to her time. Her will to win must be bigger than the naysayers.”
Catch ONE: REIGN OF DYNASTIES next Friday, 9 October. Watch the event on One Sports, One Sports+, or on the ONE Super App at 8:30 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (PHT).
Also, TV5 will air the event on a next-day delay at 11 p.m. PHT on Saturday, October 10.