Denice Zamboanga says the right hand was key against Julie Mezabarba

Third-ranked women’s atomweight ‘The Menace’ Denice Zamboanga turned in a fantastic performance last Friday night in Bangkok against highly regarded Brazilian talent Julie Mezabarba.

Zamboanga pitched a shutout against the striking ace, dominating both the stand-up and ground exchanges en route to a unanimous decision victory after three rounds.

One of the key weapons for ‘The Menace’ in this fight was her right hand, which seemed to land at will. During the ONE Fight Night 9 post-event interviews backstage, Zamboanga talked about how the right hand was key to her victory:

“I worked a lot on my right hand. I think that she was open every time I punched with my right hand. Her guard was open for that punch.”

Catch the interview below:

Under the watchful guidance of her brother Drex Zamboanga and fiance Fritz Biagtan, both of whom were in her corner at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, Zamboanga has greatly improved her striking skills.

She is more aggressive, more accurate, and has showcased an increase in overall power. Whereas early in her career, the focus was on wrestling and grappling, Zamboanga adding a new dimension of striking to her game makes her a very formidable opponent moving forward.

There has been talk of ONE Championship creating an interim belt for the division, with reigning ONE women’s atomweight world champion ‘Unstoppable’ Angela Lee not appearing set to return anytime soon following the tragic death of her younger sister late last year.

ONE Championship has already deemed South Korean veteran Ham Seo Hee as a contender for that belt if it gets made. Now, the trick is finding a willing dance partner.