BY JAN CARLO ANOLIN
ONE Championship has produced champion-caliber athletes throughout the years, having established as one of the most successful combat sports promotions globally.
Siblings Christian and Angela Lee, for instance, are the perfect example in the mixed martial arts discipline.
The Lee siblings’ prowess in martial arts comes from their family roots. Having been trained at a young age by their parents, who are black belters in various sports disciplines, it is a given that they would become future champions.
And the two did not disappoint as Christian eventually became the ONE light world champion in 2019 while his older sister Angela is the reigning women’s atomweight champion.
The Lee siblings are Canadian-American athletes of Chinese-Singaporean and Korean heritage but represent Singapore in the name of sports.
Then come the Zamboanga siblings, Denice and Drex, from the Philippines, who aspire to achieve the same feat the Lees attained and etch their names in history of combat sports and MMA.
“Hopefully, pag naging successful mga susunod namin na laban. Siyempre, gusto ko parehas na rin kami mga champion – na maging brother-sister champion,” the 23-year-old Denice told Filipino scribes Wednesday night in an online conference.
But that depends on how his older brother Drex will fare in his debut fight in ONE Championship.
The former URCC bantamweight champion will be locking horns with Detchadin Sornsirisuphatin in flyweight bout while the number one women’s atomweight contender will face Watsapinya Kaewkhong.
The two though have to take the long and winding road before achieving the feat. But for Drex, being world champions alongside Denice is the ultimate goal.
“’Yun din po ‘yung goal ko – naming dalawa na magkapatid na someday in the future, maging world champions [kami] kagaya ng magkapatid na Angela [at Christian] Lee,” the 27-year-old Zamboanga added.
In fact, were not for the flight restrictions and other factors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Zamboanga (4-0) would have fought Angela (10-2).
No less than ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong has given the 23-year-old Filipina the green light to a title shot after the undefeated Denice beat Mei Yamaguchi in her recent fight.
But Denice should at least take a detour before attempting to dethrone the 24-year-old atomweight queen.
Drex, for his part, expressed excitement to be alongside her sister in the fight cards this time in the professional and world-class level.
“Ako rin ‘yung nag-push sa kanya noong nasa amateur pa lang kami. Nandon ako sa likod niya, para i-guide siya, i-push siya hanggang sa umabot na kami sa ganitong stage,” added Drex, who also serves as Denice’s striking coach.
