Denice Zamboanga has to prove she is worthy of title shot, says Angela Lee

Reigning ONE women's atomweight world champion Angela Lee believes that Filipina contender Denice Zamboanga has to prove that she is worthy of a world title shot.

Zamboanga, 23, became the number one contender after she defeated the former two-time world title challenger Mei Yamaguchi via unanimous decision in February.

She cemented her place in the rankings after she defeated Watsapinya Kaewkhong by first-round submission in August, but Lee somehow feels that was not enough.

"Honestly, even though Denice beat Mei Yamaguchi, I don't think that alone qualifies her to be the number one contender," said Lee.

"The other girls that she fought were not even ranked. The atomweight division is stacked with at least 10 top talents," she added.

The highly-anticipated between showdown between Zamboanga and Lee took an unexpected turn after the latter announced that she is pregnant, meaning she cannot compete for now.

As a result, ONE Championship is setting the stage for a Grand Prix in the women's atomweight division to determine the next challenger for the gold-plated strap.

For Lee, the upcoming tourney would serve as a platform for Zamboanga to prove that she truly deserves to fight for the gold-plated strap.

"I think that Denice should have to face the top 10 girls first to truly prove herself as the number one contender, and the ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix Championship is the perfect way to do that," Lee said.

"I think that hosting a Grand Prix for the atomweight division is the perfect way to truly determine who deserves the next shot at the title. This tournament will be the ultimate test of who's the true number one contender," she added. —MGP, GMA News