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Sangiao weighs in on possible Iniong-Zamboanga atomweight showdown

Sports

Sangiao weighs in on possible Iniong-Zamboanga atomweight showdown

By Carlo Anolin

Photo from ONE Championship

Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao sees no problems if Gina Iniong faces fellow Filipino fighter Denice Zamboanga in the Circle soon.

Iniong, who just gave birth to newborn daughter Gianna Rose, expressed desire to participate in the upcoming world atomweight grand prix in ONE Championship.

That will pit the 31-year-old Iniong with some of the best female contenders, including Zamboanga, who currently sits at No. 1 in the division.

"We don’t say no to any fight offers from ONE. It won’t be the first time a Filipino will face a fellow Filipino. If they give Denice to Gina, then so be it," said Sangiao.

"Gina has the maturity in the battle scene and in Team Lakay, we have that sense of always being positive. So if the match happens, we have high hopes for Gina."

Before pregnancy, Iniong emerged victorious on her latest fight in January against Asha Roka of India to improve at 9-4 record.

Zamboanga, meanwhile, went undefeated in five fights since starting her professional mixed martial arts career in 2018.

After three straight wins in ONE Championship, the 23-year-old Zamboanga climbed up to being the No. 1 atomweight contender, next to reigning champion Angela Lee.

Read: Angela Lee to Denice Zamboanga: Earn the belt, ‘you don’t get it free’

But for the Team Lakay mentor, Zamboanga of the Marrok Force still has a long way to go.

“She (Denice) has had a few good wins in ONE. She has that potential, but I think she still needs more experience. With a little more experience, she can be very dangerous in this sport,” added Sangiao.

The first round of the atomweight grand prix is set early next year and the ultimate winner gets the chance to face Lee for the prestigious belt.

Related Tags

Angela Lee Denice Zamboanga Team Lakay Gina Iniong Mark Sangiao ONE Championship

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