Eduard Folayang rooting for world title contender Denice Zamboanga

Former ONE lightweight world champion Eduard Folayang is throwing his support behind fellow Filipino Denice Zamboanga ahead of the latter's first attempt at a world title.

Zamboanga, 27, is scheduled to face three-sport world champion and ONE women's atomweight world champion Stamp Fairtex in the main event of ONE 167 on June 8 at Impact Arena in Bangkok.

According to Folayang, Zamboanga will have to lean on her grappling to win.

"Napakalaking karangalan para sa Pilipinas pag naging champion si Denice dahil historic yan at marami siyang mai-inspire kung magagawa niya yun," Folayang said.

"Tinitignan ko sa kanya is yung wrestling and ground game kontra kay Stamp. Kailangan mas maganda yung maging game plan niya kasi tested na siya sa striking, so kailangan niyang i-counter yung mga strengths ni Stamp."

[It would be a great honor for the Philippines if Denice becomes champion because that's historic and she will inspire a lot of people if she's able to do it... I'm watching for her wrestling and ground game against Stamp. She needs to have a good game plan. She's already tested in striking so she needs to counter the strengths of Stamp.]

Zamboanga, 10-2 as a professional mixed martial artist, is seen as an underdog in the upcoming fight. Like Zamboanga, Folayang knows what it is like to be an underdog as he was a mega underdog when he won the world title against Shinya Aoki in 2016.

For Folayang, faith and proper preparation are key to winning a fight of such magnitude.

"Magandang bagay na rin na she has surrounded herself with the right people na magpu-push sa kanya to get that belt," Folayang stated.

"Number one talaga yung faith niya kay God na Siya ang magbibigay ng kalakasan for her to win. And syempre yung magandang preparation niya talaga."

[It's a good thing also that she's surrounded herself with the right people who will push her to get that belt... Her faith in God is number one. That He will be the one to give her strength for her to win. And of course, her good preparation for the fight.]

—JMB, GMA Integrated News